The Hidden Powers Within or Team Rocket Johto
by Talisha Hibdon
Summary: A stranger shows up looking for James and a drama unfolds! This is an ongoing Team Rocket fic. Future Rocketshippy with hints of lemon, but for now it's rated PG-13 for a little bit of blood and some swearing. Review review! Need more reviews!
1. Record 01: Stranger

The Hidden Powers Within or Team Rocket Johto 

**The Hidden Powers Within **

**or**

**Team Rocket Johto **  
_by Talisha Hibdon _

_and Tiffany Garcia_

Author note: This is an ongoing fic me and my friend FallenAngelZoey had started a while ago and it's being written slowly but surely. This is an Alternate Universe fanfiction. You have been warned. It takes place in the space of time between the fight with Ash and Gary (which Gary won! ^_^) and when Ash-tachi goes to Johto. The characters are not mine but are Nintendo's and Gamefreak or whatever moron thought Satoshi would be a good hero for the story ¬.¬. Don't sue. All you'll get from us are arcade tokens. As you can tell, me and my friend are huge Team Rocket fans (James is a babe!) so all Ash lovers may wanna rethink reading this. Only Melin and some other original characters that'll show up later belong to us, the authors. Please feel free to review!   
  
P.S. Bronx is a pokemon based on the blue gargoyle beast in the show Gargoyles. Yes yes, it's a big rip off. Don't sue us, oh masterful Gargoyles creator!

**Record 01:**

**Stranger**

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" the trio shouted as they flew through the air. The red haired women turned her head to look at her team mates as the sailed to who-knows-where. The blue haired male flying beside her had tears in the corners of his tightly shut eyes, bracing himself for the pain they would all soon endure once they'd land on the ground. The Meowth was gripping onto his leg with his claws and fangs, his hair standing on end.   
  
"I HATE DIS PART OF THE JOB!" Meowth yipped as they saw the ground starting to come closer.   
  
"THIS WASN'T IN MY ROCKET CONTRACT!" James howled, not daring to peek.   
  
"MY HAIR IS GOING TO GET MESSED UP AGAIN!" Jessie joined in with a wail, only seconds before they all hit the dirt road with a crash. It took a while for Jessie to come back to her senses, but when she did, she saw that she had landed on top of James and noticed Meowth's tail twitching underneath him. They had broken most of her fall. "James? Are you ok?"   
  
James groaned and sat up slowly, causing Jessie to slid off his chest and allowing Meowth to breath again. "I'm getting really sick of this..."   
  
"Those lousey little poke-brats! What I wouldn't give to.." Jessie grinded her teeth and clenching her fists, imagining her Arbok squeezing the stuffings out of them. This is, if the pokemon could ever get enough strength and skill to get them all in her coils in the first place.   
  
"It seems as if their one perpose in life is to annoy us and disrupt OUR missions," James nodded grimly, brushing himself off.   
  
"Sent from hell, most likely," Jessie added, getting up with his help.   
  
"We've got to figure out a way to defeat those miserable ten year old pests and capture their Pikachu once and for all," James stated the obvious.   
  
"Of course we do!" Jessie snapped at him, making him flinch. "I want to get this stupid mission over with!"   
  
"Why does the Boss want that Pikachu anyway? He's got hundreds of other more powerful pokemon. What differance will one little Pikachu make?"   
  
"This job just stinks is all," Jessie spat.   
  
"Maybe we should find a new line of work," James folded his arms in a fed up gesture.   
  
"MY CHARM IS GOOOOONE!!" The sudden inhuman shreik of a panicked Meowth made the pair jump into each other's arms in fright. The pokemon leapt all over the place, looking here and there for the gold charm that had dissapeared from his now bare forhead. He turned to the humans, glared, and slashed them across the face. "Stop feeling each other up and help me look for my charm!"   
  
The two blushed, ignoring the new claw marks on their faces, and moved away from each other quickly, Jessie looking embarrassed and pissed and James rubbing his head bashfully. "It's going to be another long night," Jessie muttered as the sun began to set.   
  
Elsewhere...   
  
A stanger walked into town that evening, covering in a white cloak and hood. The stranger's face was shodawed by the hood so no one could tell who it was. Everyone stared as the person passed by, especially a certain police officer with aqua hair. After studying her for a while, she decided she'd better investigate.   
  
"Freeze!" Officer Jenny pulled up beside the white clothed stanger abruptly. The person stopped but did not turn to her. "Who are you and what are you doing in this town?"   
  
At last the stanger turned to her, face still shadowed. "Tell me.." a young, female voice uttered from the hood as she held up a wanted add in her hand, "have you seen these young people lately?"   
  
Officer Jenny blinked at the woman, then stared hard at the pictures under the words "WANTED" in big print. A red haired woman and a blue haired man. "Hey, aren't those that criminal gang, Team Rocket?"   
  
"Of course they are," the women answered simply. "Have you seen them?"   
  
"If I had," said the police women, frowning, "don't you think I would have arrested them by now?" For some reason, even though she had seen a Team Rocket group battling some kids earlier that day, she still couldn't seem to put two and two together.   
  
The stranger let her hand fall and she put the poster back in her cloak. "I see. Then I won't trouble you further. Good day," she bowed before turning and walking off again out of town.   
  
"What.. was that?" Officer Jenny rubbed her head in bewilderment.   
  
A few moments later, the stranger was standing on the edge of a cliff, looking out at the sea. She could barely make out the small New Island in the light of the setting sun.   
  
"This is a mission I refuse to abandon," the women said to no one in particular. "I'll find you yet, just you wait and see.. James.."   
  
  
James sneezed.   
  
"Don't tell me you're getting a cold," Jessie groaned in annoyance as she unrolled her sleeping bag next to his.   
  
"No I don't think so," James frowned in thought before showing off a silly grin. "Heh! Maybe someone is talking about me somewhere."   
  
"Are you kiddin'?" Meowth yawned, curling up into a ball at their feet. "Who would be talking about a loser like you?"   
  
James winced and stuck out his tongue at the pokemon before snuggling down into his sleeping bag, putting his back to his team mates to watch the campfire. "It could happen you know," he sniffled.   
  
"Just go to sleep, James," Jessie ordered lazily beside him. "Tomorrow is going to be whole new day of Rocket stressdom."   
  
  
Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu make their way through the forest the next morning, Brock pointing out a few Exegutor among the trees to Misty while Ash cracks his neck from side to side.   
  
"Aw man, it's still sore from where those jerks hit me yesterday," he grumbled to everyone and himself.   
  
"Pika ka," Pikachu commented.   
  
"Oh stop complaining, Ash," Misty snapped, hugging her giggling Togepi. "You should know by now what to expect from Team Rocket. It's you're own fault for letting your gaurd down."   
  
"Put a sock in it, Misty!" Ash said sourly. Suddenly everyone heard a women's cry of surprise from deep within the trees. They all looked at each other in confusion as the sounds of a battle started from the same direction.   
  
"Come on!" Ash said, leading the group towards the ruckus. They soon stumbled out into a clearing and saw something they didn't expect. There was a white cloaked women whose face they couldn't see standing tense behind a bluish stone dog pokemon, growling defensively at their attackers. The two men facing off with them wear actually clothed in black Team Rocket uniforms, and before them was two of their own pokemon, a Raichu and a Scyther.   
  
"Hey, what are you doing to that beautiful young lady," Brock called out, only blushing a little in the presence of a women. The two Team Rocket members glanced back at them for only an instant.   
  
"Scyther, deal with them," the tallest one said. The Scyther turned about to face them, the light glinting of his razor sharp arm scyths.   
  
"Scy!" it hissed. Ash already had a pokeball out and threw it towards the enemy.   
  
"I choose you, Squirtle!" Ash called. Out poped the pokemon, frowning at it's opponant. "Squirtle, bubble beam now!"   
  
"Squirtle!" It sucked in a large breath of air before blowing out a stream of bubbles that exploded around the Scyther on contact. It fell swirly eyed to the ground. The taller rocket member growled and recalled it.   
  
"Raichu! Electric shock!" the shorter Rocket member ordered.   
  
"Rai CHU!" the rodent pokemon sent an electric shock at the stone dog pokemon. It hit it but had no effect.   
  
"Silly," the white cloaked female shook her head. "Electricy has no effect on a stone surface. Now.." she held out a hand whose skin was almost as white as her clothes. "Bronx, Magma Hurl."   
  
"Bronx!" the bluish pokemon opened it's mouth wide and a wave of burning hot molten lava rushed at the Raichu.   
  
"Raiii!" Raichu ran desperately up a tree to escape the dangerous heat of the attack. The lava however reached the tree's roots and burned it completely away. The two Rocket members looked at each other, then proceded to run away from the attack, leaving the Raichu for dead.   
  
"Abandoning your pokemon! Cowards," the strange female pulled out a strange looking pokeball with white and violet coloring instead of white and red. The pokemon screamed in terror as it started to fall, but it never landed. Just as it was about to meet it's fiery doom, she threw the ball at it and captured it.   
  
"Wow, that was some battle," Misty gasped, Togepi peeped timidly from her arms.   
  
"What kind of pokemon is that.." Ash mumbled, staring at Bronx as he pulled out his pokedex and looked it up.   
  
"Bronx, an extinct stone dog pokemon of the fire type. Little is known about this creature but some have therized that it is the ancestor of the Growlithes and Arcanines."   
  
"An extinct pokemon.." Ash breathed. He had seen pokemon that were supposed to have been extinct before, but never before in captivity.   
  
"Not quite extinct, as you can see," the lady said lightly as she knelt down and patted Bronx on it's blue stone head, causing it to wag its tail. "Thanks for helping me, by the way."   
  
"Um, no prob," Ash rubbed behind his head, looking at her oddly. "Excuse me, but who the heck are you?" Brock knocked Ash upside the head. "Owow!   
  
"What kind of way is that to say hello to a nice young lady," he hissed before stepping forward. "Excuse my young friend, he hasn't learned how to properly act in front of such a fine young women whom I am sure is very beautiful under that hood." He blushed. "I wish I could see you face so I could know I'm right.."   
  
"Flirt," the girl smiled before lifting up her delicate white hands and pulling off her cloak. Everyone gasped at the sight of her.   
  
She was the whitest person they had ever seen. Her hair was pure white, tied in four neat buns, two on each side of the top of her head. The rest of her extremly long hair was tied back in a braid that came down to her feet, seemed to swish along the grass like a tail. She wore a white choke colar with a star around her neck and a short white skirt, a light violet tank top with transparant long sleeves, and thigh high white stockings. Her skin was nearly as white as her clothes and hair. In fact, the only that wasn't white on her was her stunning dark violet eyes.   
  
Their mouths dropped open. Though she looked strange and almost inhuman, she had a exotic beauty about her. "Pikaa..." Pikachu breathed.   
  
"You - you're like an angel.." Brock gasped, now completely red.   
  
"Flirting will only get you so far, young man," the woman waved her hand at him.   
  
"But you DO look like one," Ash blurted out, causing Misty to glare. Ash instantly blushed and started figiting. "I - I mean, y-you are just as white as one and er-"   
  
"Quit while you're ahead, young trainer," she winked, pulled out another white and violet pokeball with a silver star where the beam came out and held it towards her pokemon. "Bronx, return." And once it had done so, she put it and the matching ball containing Raichu on a violet belt that hung loosly around her hips.   
  
"Why were those Team Rocket members fighting you? Where they trying to steal your pokemon?" Misty asked, trying to change the subject.   
  
The white women frowned. "I had accidently interuppted them when they were trying to catch an Eevee. I had only wanted to ask them a simple question. Seeing that they were Team Rocket members, I thought they could perhapes help me. I thought wrong."   
  
"What would you want to ask a couple of TR members that you couldn't ask anyone else," Ash asked, Pikachu echoing his question in pokemon.   
  
"To know where a certain Team Rocket group might be," she said straight faced.   
  
"Why would anyone want to find a TR gang?" Misty asked suspiciously.   
  
"So I can find a certain person who's a member, a man named James Kojiro." They all dropped on their faces simultaniously. "Something I said?"   
  
"KAA!" Pikachu squeeled.   
  
"You want to find James?!" Brock was the first to recover. "Cross dressing, rose holding, motto spouting James of Team Rocket?" Then he gave her a suspicious look. "He stole something from you, right?"   
  
"No! Nothing like that..." The women blushed a little, bringing a strange shade of pink to her pale cheeks. "And I didn't know he cross dressed..."   
  
"Why would you want to find that jerk for? He and his friends are evil!" Ash asked bewildered. All color faded from her features again as she stared down at him with a blank expression that suddenly made him want to kick himself for opening his big mouth again.   
  
"That's my business I'm afriad," she said finally, putting her cloak about her shoulders and pulling the hood over her head. "I thank you for helping me, but I must really continue on my mission to find James and his team."   
  
"Wait!" Misty called as she started to stride away quite quickly. "Tell us your name first."   
  
The white lady stopped and looked back, smiling slightly again. "Call me.. Melin."   
  
"Uh - We'll let James know that you're looking for him!" Brock called after her.   
  
"I'd rather that you didn't.." her voice was heard whispering even after she disapeared among the trees.   
  
Ash, Brock, Misty, and Pikachu stared after her in silence for a while longer before they started to settle down in a clearing for a small break. Brock broke out with the food while Ash and Misty started to unleash some of their pokemon so that they could have a little stretch and some food.   
  
Back on the road, Melin could feel that one of her pokéballs was moving. "Hmm? Did you want to say something?" she asked it as she took it out and let the pokemon out. A Growlith padded towards her and barked at her feet.   
  
"It's okay Growlie; we'll find James soon," Melin patted Growlie on the head. "Now, be a good friend and get back in your pokéball," said as she recalled it into the pokeball. "I have a suspicion that if I follow those four long enough that I will find James sooner or later."   


**To be further documented...**  



	2. Record 02: Eyes

The Hidden Powers Within or Team Rocket Johto 

**The Hidden Powers Within **

**or**

**Team Rocket Johto **  
_by Talisha Hibdon _

_and Tiffany Garcia_

Author note: This is an ongoing fic me and my friend FallenAngelZoey had started a while ago and it's being written slowly but surely. This is an Alternate Universe fanfiction. You have been warned. It takes place in the space of time between the fight with Ash and Gary (which Gary won! ^_^) and when Ash-tachi goes to Johto. The characters are not mine but are Nintendo's and Gamefreak or whatever moron thought Satoshi would be a good hero for the story ¬.¬. Don't sue. All you'll get from us are arcade tokens. As you can tell, me and my friend are huge Team Rocket fans (James is a babe!) so all Ash lovers may wanna rethink reading this. Only Melin and some other original characters that'll show up later belong to us, the authors. Please feel free to review!   
  
P.S. Telepathy aka the Voice will be shown in italics.

**Record 02:**

**Eyes **

Ash and Co. had decided to start on their journey again, the unseen shadow that was Melin following silently in the trees above and behind them. The only person who seemed to sense her peircing eyes watching their every move was Pikachu.   
  
"Pika?" It's ears were perked and it's eyes were narrowed at the trees behind the group.   
  
"What's the matter, Pikachu?" Ash asked, noticing it's odd behavior.   
  
"Pika! Pika pi pikachu!"   
  
Ash knelt down. "What is it girl? Timmy fell in the well?" Pikachu floped to the ground at the bad joke.   
  
"Oh my God, Ash. Is that all you could come up with?" Misty rolled her eyes.   
  
"What do you think Pikachu is tryng to tell you?" Brock asked seriously.   
  
Pikachu leaps back up, angry. "Pika pi! Pika kachu pi chu!" it shouted, making a whole bunch of gestures with it's paws.   
  
Ash scratched his head. "Geez, Pikachu, sometimes I wish you could talk like Meowth." Pikachu then proceeded to zap him for that remark. "AWAWAWA!!"   
  
"Serves you right Ash," Misty told a crispy, swirly eyed Ash on the ground.   
  
Pikachu tried over and over again to warn Ash, but for some reason he was being even more dense than usual, so it just gave up. On they continued to travel, challenging gyms and being challanged by random trainers they passed. Melin followed close behind, but made sure she stayed out of sight. After about several days of this, Melin began to think she'd never find the one person in the whole world she was searching for, a certain Team Rocket member with blue hair, deep emerald eyes, and an adoribaly childish smile.   
  
Agh! Is this all they do?? she thought as she started filling her nails while laying on a tree branch.   
  
Ash-tachi were currently sitting in the middle of a glade, Brock feeding the pokemon while Ash and Misty were arguing about getting lost again, when suddenly a shadow falls on them.   
  
"Huh," Ash noticed and stopped yelling at Misty, "what's tha-"   
  
"Prepare for trouble!" a female voice rang out, snapping Melin out of her thoughts.   
  
"Mmm?" Melin opened one eye lazily.   
  
"Make it double," a deep male voice added, causing Melin to yelp in shock and nearly fall out of her tree. She managed to grab onto it with both arms and legs just before she fell to the ground.   
  
Welp, looks like I found who I was looking for, she thought wryly, hanging upside down from that branch.   
  
"To protect the world from devastation," the red headed beauty recited.   
  
"To unite all people within our nation," her blue haired partner responded in turn, hold a blood red rose to his lips.   
  
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."   
  
"To extend our reach to the stars above."   
  
"Jessie!" The women in white struck a pose.   
  
"James," the man who Melin's violet eyes were stuck on stood back to back with Jessie and struck his own pose.   
  
"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!"   
  
"Surrender now or prepare to fight."   
  
"Meowth! Dat's right!" a Meowth leapt up from behind them and landed in between them.   
  
"Oh..." Melin let out the breath she had been holding before climbing back into her spot in on the tree branch, never taking her eyes off James.   
  
"Not you again," Ash groaned after Jessie and James finished their motto. "Haven't you had enough of us beating you all the time?"   
  
"How dare you imply-!" Jessie started, turning red with fury.   
  
"Now now, Jessie," James touched her shoulder, calm and smiling wickedly. "Don't let those twerps get to you. Remember," he added, turning to face the brat bregade, "we're going to be the ones laughing at them THIS time."   
  
"What's makes now so differant?" Misty asked, truly fed up with the whole thing.   
  
"We'll beat you guys for sure," Meowth hissed.   
  
"Because NOW, we have confidence!" James announced into a microphone he had pulled out of nowhere.   
  
"Confidence in you ability to lose, you mean?" Brock smirked.   
  
James and Meowth dropped on their faces while Jessie gave them an angry grin, all teeth. "We're going to beat the poke-stuffings out of your pokemon and then," she looked directly at Ash at this, "I plan to personally kick you in your puny little pokeballs, if you know what I mean."   
  
"Hey!" Ash grit his teeth at her remark.   
  
"Now you go too far!" Brock shouted.   
  
"So shut up-" Jessie pulled out her favorite pokeball.   
  
"-and FIGHT!" James recovered from his humiliation and mimicked his partner.   
  
"Arbok, go!"   
  
"Weezing, go!" Out popped the two poison pokemon Arbok and Weezing, looking a little wry but ready to fight none the less.   
"Don't you ever try something new?" Ash asked, pulling out his own pokeball.   
  
Melin leaned her head on her hand as she watched from her place laying on the tree branch. A tight smile was on her lips and her violet eyes were hooded. Her braid swished back and forth in the air, restlessly.   
  
So you beat them everytime, ne? Ok, jerk off, if that's they way you wanna play...   
  
"Bulbasaur, I choose you!" Ash called up on the grass pokemon right in front of Arbok.   
  
"Bulba!" it snapped at the cobra like pokemon.   
  
"Vine whip, now!" Ash ordered, and Bulbasaur obeyed without hesitation, whipping its strong vines out to strike Arbok.   
  
"Arbok, double team and bite!" Jessie commanded, the snake pokemon glady obliging her and dodged Bulbasaur's attack.   


Arbok was about to follow up with a bite when suddenly it stopped, looking bewildered. "Arbok, what are you doing?! I said strike it with your bite attack now!" Jessie shouted.   
  
_Arbok. I know you can hear me. Listen, you can't bite that Bulbasaur yet; it'll just attack you before you can get close. _   
"Charbok?" the purple pokemon began to look around, trying to find the source of the voice in it's head.   
  
Ash saw the oppertunity to attack. "Bulbasaur, tackle!" The pokemon bolted forward to take Arbok down.   
  
"Arbok, look out!" Jessie shouted. It snapped back to reality, gave a startled hiss, and leapt out of the way just in time.   
  
_Now, Arbok, use your glare to paralyze it, then strike hard with your poisoned bite! _  
  
"Charbok!" That plan sounded good enough to Arbok, whoever or whatever was talking to it. Bulbasaur had turned about face to attack it again, but this time, for the first time since they first met the brats, for some strange reason Arbok felt confident that this time it would triumph.   
  
Bulbasaur was about to tackle it again when suddenly, to Jessie's surprise and to Ash's shock, Arbok glared hard at the grass pokemon, it's eyes starting to glow red from the intensity of it's attack.   
  
"Bul.. ba..." Bulbasaur gasped, unable to move a limb. Then with furious speed, the snake pokemon lunged towards it, mouth open and poison dripping off it's fangs. Within eye's blink, it had the grass pokemon by the neck.   
  
_Wrap so that it doesn't escape, Arbok! _  
  
Arbok obeyed the voice echoing in it's mind and wrapped it's purple lengthly body around Ash's pokemon, giving it a good squeeze as if to show that there was no chance of escape. Bulbasaur screamed it's name helplessly as it's teeth sunk deeper into it's neck, drawing blood. Poison entered into it's blood stream slowly.   
  
"Bulbasaur!" Ash cried out, horror etched on his face. He looked at Jessie and saw an astonished expression on her beautiful features. "Please! Call back your Arbok! It'll kill my Bulbasaur!"   
  
"Whao.. Arbok..." Jessie watched in awe. She never knew her Arbok could be so ruthless. All those times they had lost must have really gotten to it. She looked back at the brat and noted the pleading look in his eyes. As much as she hated the kid, she didn't think it was nessesary to kill his pokemon. "Ah... Arbok, release that Bulbasaur!"   
  
"Charrrr bok," Arbok took it's fangs away from pokemon's neck, but it kept a firm grip on it with it's body, and looked at Jessie with a questioning expression. Here it was, actually winning after a long period of losing, and now it's mistress was calling it back.   
  
"Arbok, you've won! Please, let go!" Ash started to run towards them, but Arbok snaped it's head towards him, giving it a dangerous hiss and a hard squeeze to Bulbasaur. A warning. The kid froze and stared hard at it. At last, Arbok was satisfied with it's work, seeing the match was clearly won, and uncoiled it's body from the nearly unconcious Bulbasaur.   
  
"Bulbasaur!" Ash ran to his fallen pokemon and nealt down beside it. Bulbasaur breath was shallow and it's eyes where half closed. The puncture marks on it's neck had started to clot. Both knew that if Arbok had held on any longer and injected more venom into it, it would have died within the hour.   
  
"Pika ka..." Pikachu gasped from it's perch on Misty's shoulder. Everyone was stunned.   
  
Well, well, well, Melin thought and smiled sweetly down at Ash. Looks like we aren't as hot as we thought we were.   
  
Ash silently called Bulbasaur back into it's pokeball, then stood up to glare hard at Team Rocket. "You nearly killed my pokemon, you heartless witch!"   
  
"Heartless?" Jessie recoiled, then made a fist. "I CALLED my Arbok back, remember?! If I had WANTED to kill your stupid Bulbasaur, I would have let Arbok squeeze the filling out of it!"   
  
"She DID call it back, Ash-" Brock started, being more rational in these situations.   
  
"Shut up!" Ash snapped, pulling out another pokeball.   
  
"Ash, stop!" Misty shouted.   
  
"Charizard, I choose you!" he threw it as hard as he could and out popped his unrully Charizard. "I'll teach you not to mess with my pokemon ever again, you slime!"   
  
"Why you-!" Jessie snarled but suddenly James stepped in front of her, eyes narrowed into a hard scowl.   
  
"I won't stand by and let you insult Jessie like that," the blue haired man hissed, Weezing hovering close to his side. Melin blushed, watching him take a stand like that. And she noticed that Jessie had started blushing as well, but not from fury.   
  
"James?" she asked curiously.   
  
"Leave this one to me, Jessie," James winked at her over his shoulder.   
  
"Charizard, attack now!" Ash ordered, eager to get back at Team Rocket. However, Charizard found it amusing to just lay back and snort a puff of flame at it's master.   
  
"Now, Weezing, while it's not looking, smokescreen!" James commanded and Weezing proceeded to let out thick smog from it's mouth that enveloped the mildly surprised Charizard. But only a second later, Charizard shot out of the cloud of smoke into the air, looking annoyed at the poison pokemon.   
  
Weezing suddenly let out a confused moan and looked around, just as Arbok had done.   
  
_Weezing, hear me! That Charizard is about use it's flame thrower attack. You must use your smog attack just as it is about to do so. _  
  
"Weezing, watch out!" James yelled, but just before Charizard roared and let out it's flame thrower, Weezing spewed out a length of toxic gas at Charizard. Weezing's attack moved in on the orange fire pokemon, and when Charizard opened it's mouth and let out it's attack, it ignited the gas and set itself on fire.   
  
"Charizard!" Ash gasped in shock. The pokemon dropped to the ground but managed to land on it's feet. Now it was pissed. Being burnt to a crisp with it's own attack was not fun.   
  
"Weezing, tackle now!" James managed to recover and say after the surprise of seeing Weezing do something right. Once again, the mysterious voice Weezing had heard before spoke.   
  
_Weezing, do as James says, only as you make contact, use self-destruct to send IT blasting off. _  
  
Weezing almost grinned at the irony, if it's face had allowed it to do so. In spite of his fear of self destructing and the pain that would come with it, the gas pokemon did not wait to bolt towards a still disoriented Charizard. Ash was throwing orders at it, but being the defiant pokemon it had grown to be, it refused to listen. Weezing groaned out it's name, sounding almost like a battle cry, and rammed itself right into it's stomach; but as it did so, it suddenly glowed white, to the surpise of all, and blew up in Charizard's face. This send the pokemon flying over the trees, knocked out from the blast.   
  
"Charizard!" Ash hollared.   
  
"I won?" James breathed in astonishment, Weezing letting out a victorious weez, almost looking like that happy faced Koffing it had been before, then promptly fainted, dropping like a rock on the ground.   
  
Melin chuckled to herself. The expression on James's face was priceless. How she wish she had a camera at that moment.   
  
James went to his fallen yet victorious pokemon and picked him up, pulling out a small bottle from his pocket. "I know it's only the cheap stuff, Weez, but this Potion should at least hold you over till we can get you the proper care you deserve." He opened the bottle and gave some to him. It was only a moment before Weezing came to, still weak but at least concious and somewhat healed.   
  
Melin gazed warmly down at the concerned man and his pokemon. And he's just as sweet as ever...   
  
Suddenly, as James was carrying his smoking pokemon friend back towards his team mates, Pikachu itself hopped down from Misty's shoulder and stanced in front of the stunned Ash, glaring hotly at Team Rocket. "Pika, pika pichu pika kachu ka pi!"   
  
"Are you talking to me?!" Meowth blinked his feral eyes, half surprised and half insulted. The other two pokemon gave an angry hiss and weez in response.   
  
"What did it say?" Jessie asked.   
  
"It says that us pokemon are traitors to our kind by helping thugs like you," Meowth growled, the hair on the back of his neck standing up slightly.   
  
"Hey, you little rat!" Jessie hissed in retort. "You leave our pokemon out of this!"   
  
"If you want to insult someone, insult us!" James added, hugging his Weezing like a doll.   
  
"Pika pichu ka!"   
  
"All right, dat DOES IT!" Meowth yowled, all his fur now standing on end as his blue eyes slited in anger.   
  
"Pikachu!" Ash regained some composure after seeing two of his pokemon badly injured. "Use you're thunderbolts!"   
  
"Ash, stop it! That's enough!" Misty shouted.   
  
_Meowth.... _  
  
Meowth was about to react when he heard a voice echoing softly in his head. "Huh?? What the...."   
  
_Meowth... _  
  
He looks up and around, eyes wide. "Who.. Who's sayin' dat?"   


**To be further documented...**  



	3. Record 03: Voice

The Hidden Powers Within or Team Rocket Johto 

**The Hidden Powers Within **

**or**

**Team Rocket Johto **  
_by Talisha Hibdon _

_and Tiffany Garcia_

Author note: This is an ongoing fic me and my friend FallenAngelZoey had started a while ago and it's being written slowly but surely. This is an Alternate Universe fanfiction. You have been warned. It takes place in the space of time between the fight with Ash and Gary (which Gary won! ^_^) and when Ash-tachi goes to Johto. The characters are not mine but are Nintendo's and Gamefreak or whatever moron thought Satoshi would be a good hero for the story ¬.¬. Don't sue. All you'll get from us are arcade tokens. As you can tell, me and my friend are huge Team Rocket fans (James is a babe!) so all Ash lovers may wanna rethink reading this. Only Melin and some other original characters that'll show up later belong to us, the authors. Please feel free to review!   
  
P.S. Once again, telepathy aka the Voice is shown in italics. 

**Record 03:**

**Voice **

"Who's saying what?" James asked. Meowth looked about him in bewilderment, trying to find the source of the voice that was sounding in his mind.   
  
_Meowth, they can't hear me. Only you can._   
  
"What?" Meowth exclaimed, still looking confused. Pikachu in the meantime had lunched itself into the air.   
  
_Meowth, use agility now! Dodge it's lighting bolts._   
  
"Pika CHU!" Pikachu unleashed it's attack on the feline pokemon.   
  
"Wha - ACK!" Meowth dodged and decided to just listen to the voice as Pikachu landed a few feet away from him. Suddenly he was moving this way and that, using high speeds he had gained from all the time he and Team Rocket had run away from danger or failure.   
  
"Pika?" the Pikachu looked slightly confused for a second before sending out a few more thunderbolts. Meowth managed to dodge them all.   
  
"Amazing," Jessie looked intently on the match, as was everyone else.   
  
_You must not let Pikachu touch you, Meowth. Dart round it, slashing it as you pass by._   
  
Meowth raised an eyebrow but decided to listen. The strategy wasn't half bad. Another skock of electricity passed him by, making his hair stiffen from the static. He bolted past Pikachu, his claw outstretched, and clawed the electric mouse pokemon's side. He smirked as he repeated this treatment several more times.   
  
"Pikachu!" Ash gasped in shock for what seemed like the hundreth time that day. How could he be losing to THEM, to Team Rocket of all people? What the heck had happened between last time and today that they were suddenly beating the stuffings out of them?   
  
The cuts were beginning to bleed from Pikachu's sides and it's anger was growing. "Pikachu, thundershock!"   
  
_Meowth, throw your charm into the air now!_   
  
"Say what?!" Throw his beloved charm into the air? No way! But he DID have extras. He picked one out of no where and threw it high into the air just as Pikachu unleashed a fury of electric bolts. But instead of shocking everything within radiace, all the bolts were drawn into the charm he had thrown. So THAT'S why I always had a splitting headache after one of Pikachu's attacks. His charm was perfect for attracting electricty straight to his head. With that thought, he covered his own charm with his paws.   
  
"Pika?" Pikachu looked stunned to see it's attack being pulled to the flying Meowth charm.   
  
_Now, Meowth, relax, and try to remember... _   
  
"Remember wha-?" Meowth started when suddenly his body twitched and shivered. He felt as if some thing was gently digging, probing into his mind. Memories flashed like white lights in his inner eye, images and emotions he had long ago discarded, buried deep within his psychi. Special training from the Boss. Special techniques. One particularly strong attack, saved for his favorite pokemon.   
  
Pikachu turned it's attention from the charm and witnessed Meowth's arms go limp at his sides as he fell to all fours, trembling. His eyes rolled back into his head and his back arched, his tail and all hair now standing straight up. It was as if some feral force had taken over the cat pokemon.   
  
"Pikachu, use your thunder bolt now!" Ash ordered the half stunned pokemon, noticing that Meowth's eyes had started glowing white.   
  
Pikachu shook it's head of it's confusion and was about to attack again when Meowth let out a feral yowl that sent chills up everyone's spine. His charm started to glow, he strained, fangs bared, and again screeched his own name just as a wide beam of ki erupted from his charm and struck Pikachu hard in the chest. It screamed as the beam rammed it into a nearby tree.   
  
"A Hyper Beam?!" Jessie and James yelped, stupified. The light in his eyes and charm died and he hissed softly, panting and sweating. Pikachu slumped to the ground, out cold.   
  
"Pikachu!" Ash was in tears as he rushed to his fallen pokemon and held it lovingly to his chest. Brock and Misty looked as if they had been turned to stone as they stared on in horror of what they just saw.   
  
Melin smiled warmly down from her tree branch at the Meowth. What a special creature he was. So rare and completely unaware of his own real value. Any decent pokemon trainer would kill (well, not literally) for a pokemon like him. His potential seemed boundless.   
  
It took a moment for Meowth to finally remember himself and stand up straight. Whoa, were did dat come from? he wondered vaguely as he turned to look back from his team mates to his enemies. Then it finally registered in his head what had just happened. He'd beaten it. He'd actually defeated Pikachu! "Guys! We won!" he exclaimed, turning to the pair with wide, happy eyes.   
  
"We... won..." James repeated, as if not quite believing it. Jessie looked wide eyed at her Arbok and it chuckled at her expression of unbelief and elation.   
  
"WE. WON." She enfisized every word, causing a huge grin to develop on James and Meowth's faces. Arbok and Weezing nodded smugly.   
  
"WE WON!" the three shouted in union, startling Misty and Brock out of their frozen state of shock. "We did it! We beat the twerps! We defeated Pikachu!" They began to dance around in a circle, James hugging Jessie and jumping up and down while Meowth leapt up on Arbok's head and started break dancing with Weezing puffing rings of smoke into the air happily in spite of his frown and exhaustion. All of them were laughing harder than they had in a month of Mondays.   
  
Ash looked up from his pokemon and noticed that Team Rocket was so busy celebrating that they had forgotten to try and steal Pikachu. He shot a look to his friends and they seemed to have been thinking the same thing because they nodded in agreement. As quietly as they could without Team Rocket noticing, they slipped into the trees in the direction they had seen Charizard go flying.   
  
Melin watched them go, smirking. Now that was a whooping they were sure to not soon forget. It was a shame that Team Rocket had forgotten why they were battling in the first place - to steal Pikachu - but they all looked so happy that she guessed it didn't matter a great deal right now.   
  
At last she had found James, the man she had been searching for, since forever it seemed. He had hardly changed since the last time she had seen him, except that now he was much older and a little more mature. She would now follow him wherever he went. She didn't intend to confront him just yet, however. Instead, she decided she'd meet their pokemon first, especially that Meowth. Perhapes they could be trained to become stronger, faster, and more battle smart for future challanges. She knew their pokemon probably weren't trained properly because their trainers had to many jobs and things to worry about.   
  
Melin watched as they plopped to the ground and continued laughing and whooping, holloring about all the things the three pokemon had done and how it was so nice to actually win instead of "blasting off again".   
  
  
It was getting late by the time Ash-tachi came running into the nearest Pokemon Center. Several Chanseys looked with happy, bewildered faces as the boy carrying a bleeding and burnt Pikachu rushed to the front desk, where a nurse with familiar pink hair loops was currently writing things down on a clip board.   
  
"Nurse Joy! You gotta help me! My Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Charizard are hurt really badly!" Ash cried, holding out the unconcious yellow pokemon towards her. A Chansey immediatly rushed to him, grabbed Pikachu, and put it on a strecher. He just managed to put the pokeballs containing Bulbasaur and Charizard on the white sheets before it hustled into an emergancy room. Nurse Joy handed them some forms to fill out and rushed after it, closing the white doors behind her.   
  
About 2 hours later, Nurse Joy finally emerged from the room, taking off some bloody gloves and tossing them in the trash. "You came here just in time. Your Bulbasaur has taken a lot of poison in it's blood stream. A few more minutes and it would have been beyond our aid." She shook her head. "It'll be a while before it'll be ready to fight at 100% again."   
  
Ash made a fist and looked like he was either going to start crying or he was going to try and punch a hole through the wall. Misty looked at him worriedly. She had never seen him take a lose this badly. "And what about Charizard and Pikachu?" Brock asked, not making goo goo eyes at the nurse for once.   
  
Nurse Joy gave a sympathetic smile. "Charizard was simply in shock for a while and only suffered some minor burns and bruises. It should be fine by morning. Pikachu has numerous cuts along it's sides and seems to be traumatized as well, but it should wake up by morning. It may take a while for it's wounds to heal completely, though, so you should avoid using it in battle. Would you like to go see them?" They all nodded vigerously and went inside.   
  
Charizard lay on a large bed, sleeping soundly, with only a few bandages on. Pikachu laid on a padded bed that gave of stimulating electrical currents and had a device with wires attached to it's cheeks, monitoring it's electric currents. It was bandaged up all along it's sides and there were small spots of red where the blood seeped through.   
  
"Pikachu!" Ash cried out at the site of his best friend. Its eyes remained tightly shut.   
  
"Where's Bulbasaur?" Misty asked as Ash rushed to his yellow pokemon's side.   
  
Nurse Joy shook her head. "I'm afriad you can't be allowed to see Bulbasaur yet. I don't want anything to disturb his recovery."   
  
Misty nodded in understanding and turned her attention back to Ash, who was kneeling next to Pikachu's bed and crying. "I'm so sorry, Pikachu. This is all my fault. Maybe if I had been a better trainer, or if I hadn't let Team Rocket get to me, you wouldn't be laying in this bed now in pain. Please, forgive me!"   
  
"Ash.." Misty started, not knowing quite what to say. It hurt her to see Ash so upset. And she envyed Pikachu because he cared so much about it, probably even more than he cared about Brock or herself.   
  
"I wonder..." Brock thought out loud. "How did Team Rocket get so skilled in fighting since we last saw them? They weren't even cheating like usual. They really seemed to know what they were doing this time." He thought for a moment, not noticing that Ash's face had become shadowed under his hat after listening to his musings. "Could it be that they had only been pretending to lose all this time and were just waiting for the right moment to beat us?"   
  
"If you ask me," Misty cut in, "I think it was the pokemon who really knew what they were doing. Did you see the look on James and Jessie's faces when Meowth used Hyper Beam?"   
  
"I wasn't paying attention to THEIR reactions, Misty," Ash suddenly said darkly. "The only thing I saw was my Pikachu getting blasted into that tree.."   
  
Misty began to sweat. "Er.. The point is that they were completely shocked. The pokemon weren't even following their orders half the time."   
  
"You're right," Brock agreed. "It seemed as if they were getting their orders from... inside, or something."   
  
"How... how can you be thinking about Team Rocket's pokemon..." Ash started as he slowly stood up, the world around him becoming dark and manacing, making Misty take a step back and Togepi squeel with fright, "when three of MY pokemon are laying here hurt in HOSPITAL BEDS!!"   
  
Nurse Joy, who had gone off to tend the other pokemon, came back with a frown. "I'm sorry, but if you are going to be arguing and shouting like that, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You are disturbing all the pokemon's rest."   
  
Ash flinched at her scowl and obeyed, leading the others outside in the waiting area again.   
  
"Ash," Brock said firmly while Misty tried to quiet the crying Togepi, "we're both sorry about what happened. We're just as angry as you are about what Team Rocket has done. But any real pokemon trainer would want to reflect on his loses and learn from his enemies so he is better prepared for the next time, right?"   
  
"That's right. Know your enemy and know yourself. Isn't that how the saying goes?" Misty added brightly, trying to cheer the boy up. Ash's fist and teeth were clenched, but finally he took a deep breath and relaxed, letting his nerves settle down.   
  
"You're right," Ash said gloomly, looking down. "I'm sorry for blowing up like that. I know you're just trying to help.."   
  
"Ash..." Ash blinked and looked up at Misty's gentle smile, causing his heart to do a double thump. "We understand what you are going through. You care about your pokemon very much, like family. Just remember that we care about you too, like family." Ash looked at her and finally smiled weakly, rubbing the last of his tears from his eyes.   
  
If only Misty was always this nice...   
  
  
After taking their pokemon to a Pokemon Center in a differant town, James decided to take everyone out to dinner to celebrate their victory. He hadn't been in such a good mood since what seemed like forever. And it was wonderful sharing that good mood with everyone he cared about. So he didn't mind at all spending the last of his savings and his almost nothing paycheck to treat them all to a monster all you can eat buffet. Jessie didn't even whack him on the head when he told her he had money that they could have used before when they were practically starving. He had been meaning to save it for a special occassion anyhow, and this certainly qualifed!   
  
Off the trio marched, laughing the whole way into town, having changed out of their uniforms for a change so no one would ask questions about the big red R's they wore on their shirts. They even let all of their pokemon out of their pokeballs to share in the celebration. Meowth told Lickitung and Victreebell all about what had happened, gushing over how he remembered how to use Hyper Beam after years of not using it. Victreebell looked envious, having missed all the action, and Lickitung saved her own pride by gloating about how she too once beat Pikachu. Arbok and Meowth simply laughed it off and Weezing weezed contentedly.   
  
After arriving at the only buffet in town that had a pokemon buffet corner (which happened to be one of the most expensive resturaunts in town), James, Meowth, and Victreebell stuffed themselves to their hearts' content while Jessie, Arbok, and Weezing savored their food and Lickitung slurped it's meal up in one lick. They talked, exchanged battle stories, and laughed at James' imitation of Ash. Then Arbok brought up something that nearly made Meowth spit out his food.   
  
"Say what?" Meowth turned to the purple pokemon with wide, blue cat eyes. Arbok nodded at him in response.   
  
"Hmm?" Jessie looked up from her tea. "What did she say, Meowth?"   
  
"Er..." Meowth began to sweat, not knowing what to say. They'll probably think we're nuts or something..   
  
"Weezing!" Weezing added to Arbok's tale.   
  
"Come on, Meowth!" James pleaded through bites of food. "Don't leave us poor humans in the dark. Talk!"   
  
"You probably will think we're crazy but.." Meowth figited, "Arbok said she heard a voice in her head telling her to use a glare and wrap attack on Bulbasaur." Weezing nudged his head. "Ok ok! Weezing also heard a voice telling him to use poison gas and explosion on Charizard."   
  
The two human's blinked at their pokemon, not knowing quite how to take this new bit of information. Meowth looked down and mumbled something. "What was that?" James asked.   
  
"Ano... I said that I also heard some women's voice telling me what to do in my battle with Pikachu. And I think that voice or whoever belonged to it made me remember Hyper Beam."   
  
"A women's voice?" James looked at Jessie, who shrugged. They believed Meowth about the voice because they remembered how strangely their pokemon had been acting during the battle, looking confused and turning their heads about to see who was talking to them.   
  
Meowth sighed in relief. They didn't think they were crazy after all. He could tell by the looks on their faces.   
  
"What did this voice sound like? Anyone we know?" Jessie asked, sipping her tea.   
  
Meowth's eyes got big and shinning, remembering the voice. It had been sweet and caoxing, allowing him to relax enough for him to remember Hyper Beam. He had never heard a voice like that before, at least none that'd ever spoken to HIM that way. "Who ever she was.." Meowth started, putting both paws to his cheeks and trying to hide his little blush, "she sounded like a goddess from the heavens! Ah! Someone up there must still like me!"   
  
Jessie and James looked at each other blinking, though the day dreaming Meowth did not notice. "He's gone nuts, hasn't he?" James asked, motioning to the cat pokemon who currently had sparkles dancing around his head.   
  
"Sure has," Jessie agreed as their pokemon got sweatdrops.   
  
It was only later that night that our villians finally realized...   
  
"OH NO!!!" James hollored, leaping to his feet from his sitting position on the log that lay next to their campfire.   
  
"What?!" Jessie gasped in shock, startled by her partner's sudden outburst.   
  
"WE FORGOT TO SNATCH PIKACHU!!!" James shrieked, gripping his hair in dispair.   
  
The whole Team Rocket gang at last remembered the whole reason they had challenged the Twerp Bregade in the first place: to steal Pikachu. They had been so tied up in their victory that they had forgotten all about it and let the enemy slip away unnoticed. They all dropped on the ground, their faces in the dirt and their twitching feet in the air.   
  
"Meowth!" Meowth squeeked in embarrassment.   
  
  
Melin poked at the burning wood of her own campfire with a stick and watched the Growlith she had let out cuddle up against her feet, warming her.   
  
"Growlll lith.." the dog pokemon fairly purred.   
  
"I know, Growlie. I want to see James again too. But we should wait a while longer. I have to find the right time to confront him and if you go out and meet him now, you'll only give me away. I want to be able to train their pokemon for a while first." She smiled down at the puppy that had so long been James's own and stoked his head. "I miss him too."  


**To be further documented...**  



	4. Record 04: Doubt

The Hidden Powers Within or Team Rocket Johto 

**The Hidden Powers Within **

**or**

**Team Rocket Johto **  
_by Talisha Hibdon _

_and Tiffany Garcia_

Author note: This is an ongoing fic me and my friend FallenAngelZoey had started a while ago and it's being written slowly but surely. This is an Alternate Universe fanfiction. You have been warned. It takes place in the space of time between the fight with Ash and Gary (which Gary won! ^_^) and when Ash-tachi goes to Johto. The characters are not mine but are Nintendo's and Gamefreak or whatever moron thought Satoshi would be a good hero for the story ¬.¬. Don't sue. All you'll get from us are arcade tokens. As you can tell, me and my friend are huge Team Rocket fans (James is a babe!) so all Ash lovers may wanna rethink reading this. Only Melin and some other original characters that'll show up later belong to us, the authors. Please feel free to review!   
  
P.S. Pokemon language will be shown in * stars. Normal speaking (human speech) will be shown in the usual " quotation marks.

**Record 04:**

**Doubt **

  


Meowth tossed about restlessly in his sleeping bag, grumbling incoherently. For some odd reason, in spite of the good meal he just had, he was having trouble sleeping. And it wasn't helping his insomnia much that Jessie and James were currently snoring their loudest.   
  
Finally he sat up, rubbing his dry eyes. "Damn it. Can't seem to get to sleep..." He pulled out some Squirt-Me-Squirtle eyedrops and used them on his reddened eyes. At that moment, he noticed that Team Rocket's pokeballs had begun to wiggle out of their bags, as if they were trying to get out. "Huh? What the..." The pokeballs abruptly popped open, releasing Arbok, Weezing, Lickitung, and Victreebel. "What are yous guys doing out here??"   
  
*Can't you feel it?* Arbok hissed in the pokemon language.   
  
Meowth rubbed his head. "Feel what?"   
  
*That strange energy coming from that part of the woods,* Lickitung pointed to a really dark part of the trees outside their clearing.   
  
"All I know is I can't sleep!" Meowth yawned, stretching his limbs. "And you guys ain't helping." Weezing started to float in that direction, causing Meowth to start sweating. "Hey, where are you going?"   
  
*To find out where that energy is coming from,* Weezing stated simply.   
  
*You can stay here if you're too scared,* Victreebel taunted as he and the other three pokemon started heading towards the darkling woods.   
  
Meowth leapt out of his sleeping back at that comment, claws bared. "Who's scared!? Hey hey! Wait for me-owth!" he yelled, running to catch up with his friends   
  
The wood around them moaned slightly in the cool breeze that brushed against their skins. They began to notice eyes shinning in the dark, some even staring at them as they passed. As they walked deeper into the woods, the cat pokemon soon realized that his fur was standing on end. "I.. I'm not scared! Nope, not me-" A Hoothoot suddenly swooped down from a tree to snatch up a Rattata from their path. "DAH!!" Meowth screamed in fright and scrambled into Victreebel's mouth to hide. "N-n-not scared at all!"   
  
A sound that resembled a light chuckled fluttered to them on the wind. The pokemon gazed around, wondering where it came from when they noticed the glow of firelight not too far away within the trees. They decided to make for it, much to Meowth's whimpering protests. He was now beginning to feel what the other's felt, a strange energy that tugged at his mind like small children's fingers. That feeling was making the cat pokemon more tense by each passing moment and all he wanted to was to get away. Could this have been the reason he couldn't get to sleep tonight? Well, he was going to find out what it was, whether he liked it or not, because after weaving through the tress as quietly as they could, they came into a clearing.   
  
"Wha..." Meowth saw a figure, a women, feeding a fire in the middle of the clearing. Her back was to them, a long white braid spilling down it. She was also accompanied by a familiar looking Growlithe who was sleeping peacefully by her feet.  
  
The four pokemon hesitated to move forward, Meowth slowly crawling out of Victreebel's mouth, continuing to stare.   
  
*Um...* Arbok hissed softly. *She's the source of the energy??*   
  
*It could be her pokemon or -* Lickitung started when the women suddenly turned back to look right at them, causing them all to freeze in place.   
  
"Hello," the woman flashed them a warm, welcoming smile, notshowing the least bit of surprise at being spied on. "I've been waiting for you to come."   
  
The Team Rocket pokemon gasped out their names in shock and scrambled to get behind Meowth, who's ears where laid back and his hair standing on end. "It... it's that voice!..."   
  
The stranger simply looked at them innocently, blinking.   
  
"Who.... who... who.." Meowth could barely manage to frame a sentence and from somewhere in the trees a Hoothoot who heard him responded with it's own "Hoo hoot".   
  
"Yes?" the girl blinked again.   
  
"Charr bok boka!" *Come on, Meowth, ask!* Arbok nudged him forward.   
  
"Why should I have ta ask?!" the cat pokemon snapped, looking wide eyed back at his fellow pokemon.   
  
"Weeeeez weezing weez." *You're the only one that can speak human,* Weezing bobbed up and down in the air.   
  
Meowth started to argue frantically with the other pokemon about how unfair it was that it was he who was always putting his neck out just because he could talk human and how he didn't have any idea if this person was some sort of freak or ghost or the living dead or a demon or what, ect ect.   
  
"Um... I bet you are wondering who I am?" the women asked while trying to keep her giggling under the surface, obviously wanting to break up the argument and get to the point.   
  
The pokemon jumped at the sudden interruption and scrambled to get behind Meowth again, all of them trembling. "Um... yeah...." Meowth growled softly.   
  
The women was unable to hold in her chuckle anymore. "My name is Melin. I'm here in hopes that I may be allowed to train you."   
  
"Train?" Meowth's ears twitched. "Why? Who the heck are ya? How did ya talk in our heads earlier today? What kind of trick was dat?"   
  
Melin held up a white hand to stop the questions that were spouting out of him. "I'll explain everything to you all in due time, Meowth. You can think of me as a friend come here to help you."   
  
Meowth finally gathered the nerve to move away from his friends towards the stranger, ears still laid back and fair stiff on his back. "Yeah.. right..." She looked sincere enough but there was still something suspicious about her that he couldn't quite place. His claws where out as he gingerly stepped towards her, sniffing the air around her with his unseen nose.   
  
"I won't hurt you. I promise." Melin stood to move towards them.   
  
Meowth hissed and darted around her faster than he thought he could do. He ended up on the other side of the fire, eyeing her with flames reflected in his slitted blue eyes. "I don't trust no one in this world except two people, lady, and you ain't one of them. " He sniffed again and recognized a familiar scent that came from the dog pokemon, a Growlithe he soon realized, that lay asleep near the fire.   
  
"What the-..." he murmured almost to himself as he peered at it to get a closer look and sucked in a breath sharply. "Growlie??" Growlie stirred at hearing his name and lifted his head to yawn. "It IS you!!" the cat pokemon cried out in surprise for what seemed like the hundredth time that night.   
  
Growlie turned to look at him and his blue eyes lit up, his tail starting to wag with vigor. "Growlithe! Growl growl!" *Meowth! Wus up!*   
  
Meowth lost his fear for the moment as he plopped down next to the dog pokemon he had met when on James' estate. "What the heck are you doing here?!"   
  
*Well, I-*   
  
But Meowth didn't wait for an answer as he leapt to his feet again, looking really irked. "Did you steal him?? That's James' pokemon and only Team Rocket is allowed to steal other people's pokemon!"   
  
"Hey. I didn't steal him," Melin snorted, putting her hands on her hips.   
  
Growlie grinned slightly, *She didn't steal me.*   
  
Meowth looked back to the fire pokemon before turning back to Melin. "Then why did you take him? James told him to stay at the estate."   
  
Melin took her hands off her hips and sighed. "He followed me as I was passing by his dog house."  
  
"Heh! A likely story!"   
  
"Well that's because it's the truth."   
  
Meowth was about to pursue the matter when Arbok and Weezing decided it was safe to come up and take a sniff. "Charrrr charbok boka," Arbok sniffed. *I still wanna know how you talked to us in our heads earlier today...*   
  
Melin turned with a unconcerned look on her face. "Oh that. It's just a little thing I do."   
  
Weezing rubbed it's face into her back, causing her to squeak with surprise, then backed off just as quickly. "Weeez.." *She smells nice...*   
  
"Lickii lickitung tung." *Smells better than you, you mean,* Lickitung teased, causing Melin to giggle some more.   
  
Meowth ran up to her at this, eyes narrowed. "Hey, how the heck did you know what Arbok and the others was saying?"   
  
Melin turned wide eyed to the cat pokemon, gulping visibly. Oh NO! How could I let that slip?! "Uh... It's just that..... that I've been a trainer so long that I can, uh, sometimes understand pokemon!"   
  
All the pokemon looked at her with hooded eyes that said "yeah right", not believing her for a second. Growlie got a sweatdrop. "Growl.." *Oh boy...*   
  
Weezing tried to smile with his ever gloomy face. *Well, she may be a bad liar, but she's got one cute as- WEEZ!* Victreebel whacked him on the head with a vine before he could finish that line of thinking, Melin all the while trying to hide her blush.   
  
"Um, well, enough about me! How did you guys find your way here?" the girl asked, trying to avoid the accusatory questions flying at her. This isn't going as well as I'd like...   
  
Lickitung stepped towards her. *Well, we kinda felt some strange energy coming from this part of the woods.*   
  
*We decided to investigate,* Victreebel went on.   
  
"And here YOU are," Meowth pointed dramatically.   
  
Melin blinked, violet eyes curious. "And.. that's all?"   
  
*Masters were snoring too loud. Couldn't sleep much,* Weezing added.   
  
In the next second, Meowth was right next to her, inhaling her scent and trying to judge her by it. "There's something about you that doesn't smell quite right.." He looked up with cool blues. "Just what exactly do you want with us?..."   
  
"Uhh, n-nothing!" Melin stuttered, a huge sweatdrop starting to form on her head. "I just thought you might liked to be trained by a pokemon master so you guys can become stronger."   
  
*You're a pokemon master?* Arbok asked, causing Melin to laugh.   
  
"HA! If I'M not a pokemon master, no human is!"   
  
Meowth crossed his paws over his furry chest. "How can we trust you?"   
  
*I trust her!* Weezing exclaimed.   
  
*Well that's just you,* Victreebel snorted.   
  
Lickitung nodded at Victreebel and Meowth. *I agree with Meowth. A HUMAN that can go inside a pokemon's mind is a dangerous human in my book.*   
  
Arbok slithered up to Melin and looked down at her, stretching up to her full height. Melin simply blinked up at her, unintimedated. *I don't know. She did help us before..*   
  
*Maybe that was only to gain our trust...* Lickitung pointed out. *But if you guys wanna risk trusting a HUMAN to go stomping through YOUR minds, that's fine,* Lickitung stuck her face into the air. *I'm sticking to my Mistress's training.*   
  
*Which is NO TRAINING at all,* Victreebel muttered.   
  
*Guys, you know Masters never have enough the time to train us,* Weezing began to argue.   
  
"Oh, come on!" Melin cried, getting exasperated. "Why not just give me the benefit of a doubt? Think about how good it will make you feel when your masters see how good you are."   
  
"We've been doing just fine on our own!" Meowth protested hotly.   
  
Arbok got into the proud cat's face, hissing softly and making him take a timid step back. *Are you really looking forward to "blasting off again" and losing like before?*   
  
*I can vouch for the fact that she's a great trainer!* Growlie chimed in, getting excited and wagging his tail. *I've never felt so confident in my abilities!*   
  
*I say go for it,* Arbok said decidedly.   
  
*Same here!* Weezing wheezed.   
  
Melin looked at the other three uncertain pokemon with a meaningful look, putting her hands together in front of her mouth with fingers intertwined.   
  
Victreebel shook his leaves at her. *Oh FINE.*   
  
*But if she tries anything screwy with MY mind, there'll be hell to pay,* Lickitung stuck out her tremendous tongue.   
  
"Yay!" Melin squealed with delight and proceeded to give them a great big group hug, much to the squirming protest of Victreebel. "Thank you! I won't let you down!"   
  
"....." Meowth stood off to the side, still looking unsure of the whole thing. Melin turned to look at the reluctant cat pokemon, giving him a questioning look, to which he hissed softly in response.   
  
"What's wrong? Why won't you let me help you?"   
  
Meowth growled a little and turned his head. "Why do you care?" I don't know what it is, he thought to himself. There's just something about you...   
  
"I don't want anything from you, really, Meowth-san," Melin knelt down on her haunches and looked at him with warm violet eyes that made his heart tighten. "I just want to be able to help you and Team Rocket..."   
  
Meowth raised an eyebrow, and felt his resolve weaken a little. Finally he mumbled something and started walking away in a huff. "Did I say something wrong?" she looked worriedly over to the other pokemon for answers.   
  
*Meowth has a hard time trusting humans, other than the Masters,* Arbok informed her with an almost sad look.   
  
*Never met a human that didn't betray him. Except for Masters,* Weezing smoked.   
  
  
Meowth walked back to camp grumbling, carefully avoiding glancing at the peering eyes of the forest. There was something very unnerving about that women. When ever she looked at him, he felt as if he had nothing on and he didn't like it. Well, technically he DIDN'T have any thing on, but that was besides the point!   
  
The point was that she saw much more in him than he wanted her to know.   
  
It would have been better if she had been an unseen goddess after all, or so Meowth thought. A human with that sort of ability was much more threatening. She could go into his head anytime she felt like and pry into his memories, seeing things he never meant anyone to see. That was a violation of privacy that even Team Rocket wouldn't commit.   
  
Meowth came to camp and looked down at James and Jessie's sleeping forms. James' head and hair was thrown back as his mouth hung open in a long snore, and Jessie chuckled in her sleep, probably dreaming of her next greatest plan to become rich and famous. He allowed himself to smile fondly at his longtime friends, as they would not be able to catch him doing so. It was true. These were the only two people in the whole cruel world that he trusted and whom he knew he could count on to be there for him.   
  
What this girl Melin offered was too new and too farfetched to be believable. No one just went and HELPED criminals like Team Rocket. And without wanting anything in return no less! The only person he knew who was THAT selfless was Mondo, a Team Rocket member himself.   
  
Meowth shook his head as he settled down back into his sleeping back. No way am I gonna trust some stranger who comes out of no where to train Team Rocket's pokemon, he thought as he yawned drowsily. Won't trust another human. No matter how nice she may act. All.. the more reason... to expect her to... lie.... to me...   
  
Just like all the others... 

**To be further documented...**  



	5. Record 05: Disappointment

The Hidden Powers Within or Team Rocket Johto 

**The Hidden Powers Within **

**or**

**Team Rocket Johto **  
_by Talisha Hibdon _

_and Tiffany Garcia_

Author note: This is an ongoing fic me and my friend FallenAngelZoey had started a while ago and it's being written slowly but surely. This is an Alternate Universe fanfiction. You have been warned. It takes place in the space of time between the fight with Ash and Gary (which Gary won! ^_^) and when Ash-tachi goes to Johto. The characters are not mine but are Nintendo's and Gamefreak or whatever moron thought Satoshi would be a good hero for the story ¬.¬. Don't sue. All you'll get from us are arcade tokens. As you can tell, me and my friend are huge Team Rocket fans (James is a babe!) so all Ash lovers may wanna rethink reading this. Only Melin and some other original characters that'll show up later belong to us, the authors. Please feel free to review!   
  
P.S. Computer voice will be shown in italics. Also, this chapter is a little bit longer than the others. It's our way of thanking readers for all their great reviews. Keep on letting us know how you feel about this fic! We eagerly welcome all feedback.

**Record 05:**

**Disappointment **

  


Disappointment.   
  
That's all he was. A BIG disappointment.   
  
Giovanni paced about the room, grumbling and cursing under his breath. Meowth sat on his red cushion next to the black marble desk and watched his master pace back and forth, his head turning to and fro to follow his motions.   
  
"Um.. Master-"   
  
"Shut up! I don't want to hear you TALK right now," the Team Rocket Boss rumbled, making Meowth flinch. Meowth remained silent but his master had begun to rant. "Unable to learn! That's what I hear when your personal trainer brought you in today. 'Unable to learn because he can talk!' He said your brain has been damaged because of your ability to talk!"   
  
Meowth dropped his head and shut his eyes tight against the tears that were threatening to fall. Once again, fate was somehow managing to screw him over. After trying so hard to become like a human for a pokemon whom he loved but who didn't love back, he was now paying for it again! He couldn't even use Payday anymore...   
  
"What good is a pokemon that can't LEARN anything?!" Giovanni threw up his hands in rage. "Nothing! That's what it's worth to me! And after all the work I put into training you..."   
  
"M-Master??" Meowth's head shot up, eyes wide and watering. What was he saying?!   
  
Giovanni looked at Meowth, disgust written on his face, and the proceeded to pick up the glass vase that sat on a little table in the corner and throw it at the wall, needing to take his rage out on something. Meowth grimaced as if he had been hit himself. At last, the Boss sighed, trying to calm himself down, and then simply left the room. The tears that had been blinding his vision now fell freely from his pained blue eyes.   
  
"Master..."   
  
Later that night, Meowth had made his decision. He crept out that night into the Team Rocket laboratories, determined to find something that would help his situation. Going through the files on current experiments taking place (he noticed something about a pokemon cloning project), he finally found what he was looking for.   
  
"Experiment Gameshark: A project to create a Technique Machine that can teach a pokemon any technique, even those it can't normally learn."   
  
Meowth's eyes widen as he read the file. Any technique?? Well that's definitely the project for me! he thought, scanning the file to find out where this new Technique Machine would be located. Finding some direction, he put everything back in it's place and went as quietly as he could through the quiet of the laboratory to find the machine that would change his bad luck.   
  
At last he came upon a door that read "Gameshark Project - Staff Only." Meowth picked the lock easily and went inside. Before him was a huge computer panel next to a **tremendously** huge room with large windows viewing into a white padded cell. Going up to the computer, he found the switch and flicked it one. The computer began to buzz and whir and beep.   
  
_Rocket Corp. Network login... __  
  
Gameshark Program Activation...   
  
Please enter technique code...   
  
Code number: _ 013F2CDA_  
__  
Pokemon Technique: _Hyper Beam...   
  
_Please enter Pokemon Type....   
  
Pokemon Identity:_ Meowth_   
  
Please place Pokemon in Learning Chamber...   
  
Warning... Program still in experimental stages..._   
  
Meowth ignored the warning and rushed over to the room with the large window. He struggled to open the heavy metal door, then closed it behind him. Looking around he realized that the huge window was actually a one way mirror. Moving to the center of the white padded floor, he looked at his reflection. Here he was again, doing something to himself to please someone else. Should I really be doing this? Meowth thought, looking himself in the eye. The last time I did something like this, I ended up losing everything.   
  
Then he recalled the day he met Giovanni. He had seemed so kind. He took the cat pokemon in when he was at his lowest point. He praised him for being able to talk when everyone else had scorned him. He gave him a home, something he never had, and all the food he could eat.   
  
_ Chamber Locked... 10 seconds to start Learning Process   
  
Warning... May cause trauma to pokemon...   
  
**10...   
  
9...   
  
8... **_**_  
_**_  
_ Yes, he told himself. I'm am doing the right thing! Once the Master sees that I can learn new techniques after all, I'll be his on his good side again. He gave me everything I have. I OWE him this!   
**  
_ 7...   
  
6...   
  
5... _**_  
  
_ He stared at himself. It'll be fine, he tried to reassure himself. Once I learn Hyper Beam, I'll be the most powerful Meowth alive, and he'll have to... to...   
  
_ ****__4..._   
  
3...   
  
2 _**  
**__  
_ To love me.....   
  
_ **...1 **  
  
Parameter 1 Activated. __  
  
_ Suddenly, Meowth received a jolt from an electric shock the room was giving off. The surprise overrode the pain at first, nearly making the cat pokemon lose his balance. But before he could even brace himself, thousands of shocks flashed through him, making his fur stand up painfully on his back, and causing him to cry out. The charm on his head sizzled and was beginning to burn the fur around it. Still the shocks intensified further, making his brain begin to feel like it was being cooked. He screamed as he fell to his knees and clawed at the padded floor, and still the shocks continued. It seemed like an eternity before the torture finally ceased, leaving him whimpering on the floor.   
  
_ Parameter 1 passed...   
  
Parameter 2 Activated.   
  
_ Meowth barely managed to catch in his ear the dreaded announcement. Oh shit...   
  
Inhuman shrieks erupted from the Learning Chamber and flashing lights were blinding to what was inside. The computer counted down the parameters passed slowly like a death knell, till the cries of agony slowly began to tone down and stop all together. Parameter 8 was just beginning to complete when two guards dressed in green Team Rocket uniforms opened the door, followed by an old male scientist.   
  
"What in the name of the pokemon gods is going on here?!" the scientist shouted, seeing his computer system had been activated. One of the security guards pointed towards the Learning Chamber, noticing something inside it. They looked through the one way mirror and saw a single pokemon standing erect in the middle of the room, eyes hooded and blank, energy shooting through it and without it.   
  
"Who's that pokemon?" one of the guards said.   
  
"Don't you even start!" warned the other.   
  
Meowth's eyes flashed and a glow emanated from his head and charm. Energy rippled through him, but he couldn't feel the pain that should have accompanied it. Not anymore.   
_  
__ Parameter 8 passed.   
  
Learning process completed.   
  
Brain Wave Resequencing now in progress. __  
  
_ "It is finished? Did it work?" the scientist ran to the computer and checked the stats. Meowth special defense and attack had somehow managed to go up during the process. He checked the moves he knew and saw at the very bottom a strange colored blinking attack name. "It was set to teach him Hyper Beam?!"   
  
"This was an unauthorized test, Professor Shark. This test subject must be taken into the Green Squadron's custody," the guard went to open the door.   
  
"No!" Prof. Shark cried out. "Don't disturb the brain wave resequencing!"   
  
Meowth sensed someone outside. He sniffed and hissed. The soothing vibrations the room was now giving off caused his overworked brain to relax and get used to the knowledge and energy it now had. Now his senses were acute, and he could feel even before he could hear, the arguing happening just outside the door.   
  
"This experiment is over," the tall guard said as he yanked the heavy door open.   
  
_ Warning! Warning! System Malfunction!   
  
Brain Wave Resequencing Process interrupted! Warning!   
  
_ The soothing vibrations suddenly stopped, and all at once Meowth felt like his head was splitting in two. Gripping it with his claws, he shrieked, his eyes rolling back into his head. He stumbled around the room, trying to find a way away from the pain intruding on his psyche. The guards walked into the room and attempted to grab him, but the cat pokemon felt them come close and leapt back, yowling like a wild animal. His charm began to glow.   
  
"What the-" was all the guards could say before the Hyper Beam erupted from him in a blinding flash of light. The Learning Chamber exploded in fire and electricity, knocking the scientist off his feet and against the wall. The computer was starting to catch fire too.   
  
_ Warning! Warning! System Malfunction!   
  
_ Meowth leapt out of the flames with an inhuman scream of madness, his whole body glowing with energy, his charm emanating a white light. Professor Shark looked up in awe. "It truly works..." he whispered before the Hyper Beam took him in an explosion of power.   
  
  
Meowth jolted up, crying out in fright. He looked around wildly until he finally realized where he was. His team mates were sleeping not so far away, having not woken up from all the shouting, and he even spotted TR's pokeballs safely tucked into their bags. The cat pokemon let out a shuddering sigh and covered his eyes with his paws. He could still hear the screams from that terrible nightmare. But the true horror of it was that it had actually happened.   
  
After the incident in the laboratories, Meowth had woken up from a two week coma. The pokemon doctors had asked him what happened but he couldn't recall anything that happened after he had went to the labs to find a cure for himself. They told him that he had been in the lab were the Gameshark Machine was being experimented on and that while using the machine, he got into an accident that had killed three other people. At the time, he had no idea what they were talking about so he said that he hadn't learned any new techniques. Giovanni had been told this and to show his disdain for a pokemon that couldn't even properly cheat to learn a new skill, he assigned him as a mascot to a pair of Team Rocket members from the White Squadron, Jessie and James.   
  
Now with his new found memories, it all made some sort of sick sense. Even after putting himself through hell to learn Hyper Beam for the Boss, the blasted human still chose to betray him and practically abandon him to his team mates. He knew now that he'd never become Top Cat again. All his hope and effort had once again been for nothing. Anger at Giovanni rose within him and he growled deep in his throat at the cruelty of humans. He had to glance at his team mates and recall the promise of friendship they had made in order to remember that not every human being was a lying traitor.   
  
No, he'd never trust another human again. He'd never give his unconditional love to anyone like he had before. All loving others had brought into his life was pain. Love was more cruel to him than any other emotion had ever been. Never again.   
  
  
That next morning, the sun was shinning brightly and the grass was very green. People were glad to go out and simply enjoy the warm summer breeze. Still, not all were happy. The trio of kids who had been the heroes up till now were hardly lighthearted as everyone should have been on such a fine summer morning. Ash-tachi were walking down a street on their way back to pick up Ash's wounded pokemon from the pokemon center.   
  
"Nurse Joy said we could pick up Bulbasaur by now," Brock said, gazing at the ground in front of them as they walked. "I wonder if she's OK. She didn't call me last night like I asked and she wouldn't give me her number either..." Misty and Togepi got a sweatdrop at that remark.   
  
Ash yawned long and loud, stretching his stiff limbs. "Are you feeling OK, Ash?" Misty asked with concern, noticing the dark circles under the boy's eyes.   
  
Ash sighed and rubbed those same sad brown eyes to get the sleep out of them. "No. I don't think I slept a wink last night. I was too tense thinking about Pikachu and Bulbasaur..."   
  
"Something was very unusual about that battle Ash..." Brock reminded him, not being able to forget the shock he had received at seeing those same pokemon whom they had defeated so many time before actually succeed. "I've watched those pokemon fight before.. They were fighting well above their experience level."   
  
"I don't want to think about that right now, Brock!" Ash snapped, getting frustrated. "All I care about right now is getting my pokemon back."   
  
Brock suddenly stopped walking and moved into a dramatic pose, pointing at him. "Do you wish to see your pokemon in the same position again?" Ash took a step back, startled. "Haven't we taught you anything? You must LEARN from your battles and improve on them!" Misty and Ash gave Brock a weird look as Shabuki noises were heard from out of no where.   
  
"Toge??" Togepi looked confused.   
  
Brock blinked, even though his eyes had never opened, and rubbed behind his head. "Sorry, those cold coffee drinks are really addicting.."   
  
Misty shakes her head and looks at Ash seriously. "Brock's right, Ash, no matter how freaky he may act when he says it."   
  
"I know, I know!" Ash stomped his foot. "Can we drop it already??!"   
  
Just as the group walked past a pay phone on the side of the road, it began to ring unceasingly. "Ring ring ring! Ring ring ring! Phone call! Phone call!"   
  
"Ano...." the trio muttered, and looked at each other. Ash and Misty shrugged and Brock decided to walk over to the phone, being the good citizen, and pick it up.   
  
"Hello?" Brock greeted. He stood still for a moment before he started to develop some multiple sweatdrops, his expression unchanging.   
  
"Who is it, Brock?" Ash asked, noticing the change in atmosphere.   
  
"Er... I think it's for you, Ash," Brock gave him a tight smile and handed the phone to him.   
  
Ash took the phone, looking at it oddly, and put his ear to it. "Hello, who is this?"   
  
"You should know," a boy's voice chuckled on the other line. "We bathed together when we were children.. and our parents never found out..."   
  
Embarrassed, Ash's face turned bright red, steam coming out of his shirt at what the voice implied. "GARY?!"   
  
"You expected less?" Gary's voice questioned, seemingly very amused at Ash's reaction.   
  
"That's Gary on the phone?!" Misty gasped, wide eyed.   
  
Ash began to yell into the receiver. "How the heck did you know where we were?"   
  
"Toge toge priiiiii!" Togepi shrilled.   
  
"I've got my ways," Gary said on the other line in a matter-of-fact tone. "A true master can always reach his hand out upon the world and make an influence."   
  
Ash's eyes widened in awe. "Wow.. I.. I never knew you were so... so..."   
  
"Um, Ash.." Misty's eye twitched as she looked behind her and she tapped on Ash's shoulder.   
  
"What now, Misty?"   
  
"He's right across the street, Ash. I can see his tent."   
  
Ash's mouth dropped open and he dropped the phone as well, seeing Gary's head behind some bushes. The shock of brown hair was unmistakable. With a growl, Ash stomped across the street and glared at Gary's back, Misty and Brock following with an exasperated sigh.   
  
"You're still a novice," Gary was saying into his cell phone with smile. "I don't expect you to understand..."   
  
"Toge prrrrriiiiiii!"   
  
"Huh?" Gary stiffened, then slowly turned to look over his shoulder at them.   
  
Misty simply waved while Ash glared holes into his head. "Who's a novice?!"   
  
Gary smiled, undaunted at being discovered. "Oh, hi Ash. How's it hanging?"   
  
"Why would you care..." Ash grumbled.   
  
Misty quickly answered for him before another argument could ensue. "Ah, we're not doing too well.."   
  
Gary nodded solemnly, as if he already knew. "I believe I know why," he said, getting up to face them, standing a good foot over Ash. "How's your Bulbasaur doing?"   
  
Ash got a very cold look on his face. "How do you know about my Bulbasaur?"   
  
"This is a big world Ash, with many eyes," Gary answered mysteriously.   
  
"Why you!" Ash started, raising a balled up fist, but was intercepted by Misty again.   
  
"Bulbasaur's in recovery now. We were just heading over to the pokemon center when you "called"."   
  
Gary sighed and patted Ash sympathetically on his back. "So, they finally beat you, huh?" Ash's world turned dark and he looked at Gary with fire in his eyes. The blue clad trainer ignored this and went on. "Fate deals you a wild card when you least expect it Ash. You should never underestimate your enemy." Professor Oak's grandson then began to start packing up his retractable tent to avoid the death looks he was getting from the younger trainer. "Well then, you should all stop standing around here talking to me. I think Bulby's bound to be quite lonely by now."   
  
Slinging his travel bag over his shoulder, he gazed at the trio. "Well, I'm off to Johto now. There are even more pokemon there that we haven't even heard of that are just waiting to be caught. My grandfather spoke with Prof. Elm and has already reserved me a pokemon of my choosing at the New Bark Town Lab."   
  
Ash was busy crouching and sulking in a corner, darkness still emitting from him, so Brock responded. "We were heading over there too. Your grandfather told us about it."   
  
Gary nodded, then walked up to Ash again and knelt down to whisper in his ear. "Try to keep up Ash..."   
  
"Just shut up..." Ash growled.   
  
Gary grinned then looked at the other two gym leaders. "Later all."   
  
"C ya," Misty waved. Gary turned and winked at Misty before setting off.   
  
Brock and the others watched him stride off. "I've got more charisma than him, feh."   
  
Misty had an odd look on her face. Why did he wink at me like that? she thought, then she turned back to Ash. "Uh... Ash?" Ash just grumbled. "We better get going."   
  
Brock nodded. "Agreed." At length, Ash gets to his feet, mumbling about how much of a jerk Gary was, and the trio start out again until they arrive at the pokemon center. Brock knocks on the door with a smile. "Oh Joy.. I'm home."   
  
But instead of the beautiful nurse answering the door, a Chansey did instead, to Brock's slight disappointment. "Chansey! Chansey?"   
  
"Um, we're here to pick up Ash Katchum's pokemon," Misty told the nurse pokemon. Chansey cheerfully handed Ash a clipboard with some things for him to sign before waddling into the back room.   
  
After a moment waiting, Nurse Joy came out of the back with two pokeballs and a distraught looking Pikachu in her arms. Ash leapt out of the chair he had been sitting on with a shout. "Pikachu!" He ran the short distance over towards them and gathered the yellow pokemon into his arms, his tired eyes starting to tear up.   
  
"Careful, Ash," Brock warned. "You gotta be delicate. Remember, it's been through a lot." Then he proceeded to turn to Nurse Joy and flash her the most charming smile he could call upon. "And as for you Nurse Joy, your the most delicate of them all..."   
  
Nurse Joy blushed at Brock's comment before talking directly to Ash. "Your friend is right. What you really must look out for is your Pikachu's mental state. She received quite a shock, excuse the pun."   
  
"Your so witty," Brock didn't miss the chance to flirt.   
  
Misty calmly put Togepi in one arm before stomping towards the young breeder and pulling him away by the ear. "Brock, will you please stop hitting on Joy at a time like this?!" Brock protested at the pain she was inflicting, but realizing this might not be the best time, he backed off. For the time being.   
  
Joy, not noticing the two gym leaders, went on. "I tried my best to heal the wounds it received on it's sides as best I could. They should be gone sooner than you think, if you take the proper precautions."   
  
Ash cradled Pikachu in his arm as he would have done with a baby, the worry he had felt all night crashing on him like waves on rocks. "Don't worry, Pikachu. I won't let them hurt you again..." Tears began to fall from his eyes and he bent his head to cry into it's fur. "I won't let ANYTHING hurt you again...."   
  
Pikachu looks worriedly at Ash, it's own eyes beginning to water. "Pikapi..."   
  
"And how are the other two pokemon, Nurse Joy?" Misty asked with concern in her voice.   
  
Nurse Joy answered that question by handing Ash back his two pokeballs containing Bulbasaur and Charizard. "It isn't so bad, young man. Your Charizard has completely recovered and Bulbasaur should be fine within a few days. Just avoid using him and Pikachu in battle for a while, if you can."   
  
"I'll prepare them a special vitamin enriched diet for the following weeks," Brock informed Ash, hoping it would help calm him down. He could not remember the last time he was so broken up over a battle. Maybe not since Indigo.   
  
Nurse Joy smiled at Brock's thoughtfulness. "That would be a very good idea. "   
  
Brock blushed at the compliment slowly inched towards her to try and make his move again "Why, its my pleasure, miss..." he exclaims in a deep, sultry voice, only to get yanked away again by Misty   
  
"Oi! You can find some other time to flirt, Romeo!" Misty scolded. Chansey began to protest at all the noise, so the red head quieted down again and turns to Ash. "We better not take up anymore of Nurse Joy's time, Ash. Time for us to get going. And who knows, maybe next time Brock and I will be able to help you."   
  
Ash nodded, putting his pokeballs away and carrying Pikachu gently in his arms. Misty admired the care he took in handling the pokemon as he thanked Nurse Joy and left the center. He cares about his pokemon so much, she thought. I feel lucky to be his friend.   
  
"Everything will be okay again, Pikachu," he murmured to his best friend. "Just you wait. We'll be winning again in no time."   
  
Misty and Brock hung back a bit, watching Ash's back as he walked ahead of them. "It may be some time before Ash can recover too..." Misty whispered to Brock.   
  
"Why DIDN'T we help him back there anyway?..." Brock whispered back to her.   
  
"Because Brock, if we had, our pokemon would have gotten hurt too. And I have to admit, Ash did go a little too far when he insisted on challenging Team Rocket over and over again even after he had obviously lost."   
  
Brock got a pondering look and rubbed his chin in thought. "Maybe some omnipotent force kept us from getting involved so as to further the plot of some unforeseen story line."   
  
Misty blinked at his story line comment. "Brock, I didn't know you believed in destiny. Or is that something Prof. Ivy taught you?"   
  
Brock wailed and fell over like a rock, darkness beginning to emit from him like an aura. "That was cold..."   
  
Misty giggled at his reaction. "Oops, sorry," Misty exclaimed before running to catch up with Ash. 

**To be further documented...**  


  



	6. Record 06: Self-Pity

The Hidden Powers Within or Team Rocket Johto 

**The Hidden Powers Within **

**or**

**Team Rocket Johto **  
_by Talisha Hibdon _

_and Tiffany Garcia_

Author note: This is an ongoing fic me and my friend FallenAngelZoey had started a while ago and it's being written slowly but surely. This is an Alternate Universe fanfiction. You have been warned. It takes place in the space of time between the fight with Ash and Gary (which Gary won! ^_^) and when Ash-tachi goes to Johto. The characters are not mine but are Nintendo's and Gamefreak or whatever moron thought Satoshi would be a good hero for the story ¬.¬. Don't sue. All you'll get from us are arcade tokens. As you can tell, me and my friend are huge Team Rocket fans (James is a babe!) so all Ash lovers may wanna rethink reading this. Only Melin and some other original characters that'll show up later belong to us, the authors. Please feel free to review!   
  
P.S. Pokemon language is shown in * marks while human speech is shown in the usual " quotation marks. And thanks to everyone for the positive reviews. We really do deliver chapters faster the more reveiws we get, whether they are good or bad. It shows us that the readers care about our work and that makes it all worth while. Please send more reveiws!

**Record 06:**

**Self-Pity **

  


It had been another long day full of travel and starvation when our villians finally found what they were looking for...   
  
"AT LAST!!" Jessie cried out as she kicked through a cabin door and flicked on the light switch. They had been looking for hours for the special secret cabin Team Rocket had built for their agents somewhere close to every route. The cabin looked just like all the others, one room with a small stove, sink and counter in the far left corner, and a low table set in the exact middle. Two windows on either side of the cabin faced out towards the woods that lay outside.   
  
James and Meowth stumbled in after her, looking exaughsted from walking all day. They immediately began to set up the sleeping bags and crawled in, prepared to go straight to sleep. "NOT YET, YOU IDIOTS!" Jessie hollored, whacking them both on the head with a mallet that came from out of no where. "You still gotta catch dinner for us, Meowth, and ** you ** gotta cook it, James."   
  
Both Meowth and James rubbed the bumps on their heads, Meowth glaring hotly and James whimpering. "And what are YOU going to be doing during all of this, ya brat?" Meowth demanded of the red head who was currently settling down at the low table that sat in the middle of the room.   
  
"I will be formulating a brand new, better than ever plan to capture that annoying Pikachu, of course," Jessie declared with a smirk, causing Meowth to grumble.   
  
"Oh greeeaaat..." the feline pokemon replied sarcasticlly. "Looks like I should warn Mondo to be ready to peel us off the road afterwards. Knowing you, the plan will probably be a total flop."   
  
"And who asked you, you mangy alley cat! GO GET DINNER!!" Jessie roared, throwing random stuff at Meowth. James scambled to get out of the line of fire as Meowth raced out of the cabin and slamed the door behind him. "AND DON'T COME BACK TILL YOU DO!"   
  
"Damn human. She's not my master.Why do I always get put into these situations by her?...." Meowth growled under his breath as he proceeded to stomp off into the forest, not noticing the pair of dark violet eyes peering at him from the trees above.   
  
Meowth-san, Melin thought as she watched him pass beneath her, unknowing of his watcher. I'm not going to leave you alone until you let me train you. You have too much potential to be stooping to this level. You, James, Jessie... You can all be so much more than you are now. Can't you see that?   
  
Onward he wandered, further and further still into the darkling forest. The eyes of violet hue never left his form and continued to follow him silently as he searched for something for his team mates and himself to eat. At length, he caught sight of a Pidgeotto picking at the ground. Drool began to form at the corner of his mouth as he crouched low in the tall grass, steadying himself to strike. Melin peered down from her tree branch, observing his stance with fascination.   
  
Suddenly there was a loud barking that made Meowth screech in fright and leap up into the air. The bird pokemon noticed him and he had to watch as it flew away, hanging upside down on a tree branch by his claws, panting.   
  
Growlie jumped out of the bushes and looked up at Meowth, smiling with his tongue hanging out of his mouth and his tail wagging back and forth. *Meowth! What are you doing way up there?*   
  
"Wha - what the hell?!" Meowth shouted down angrily from the tree branch.   
  
Oh no! Melin thought, slapping her open palm on her forehead. How could I have let him get out. He's going to blow my cover.   
  
*I saw that you were going hunting and I thought I'd help!* Growlie barked eagerly, watching Meowth drop to the ground and dust himself off.   
  
"Please, spare me!" he groaned in irritation. "Where the heck did ya come from anyway?" Growlie motioned towards a nearby tree. Meowth double blinked, following his gaze, and then he understood. He dashed into the trees and ran up the trunk until he reached the tree branch where Melin sat. "You!"   
  
"Er, uh.. hi?" Melin waved lamely.   
  
Meowth crossed his arms with a scowl. "Shoulda known you wouldn't leave me alone. If you don't mind, I'm trying to get some food for me and my friends. We haven't eaten since yesterday. So do you think you could stop following me?" He turned his back to her and mumbled to himself. "As if I don't have enough problems..."   
  
Geez, what's his problem? she thought with a frown. "Fine, I'll leave then."   
  
"Good!" he exclaimed, not looking back as he hopped down from the tree and continued his trek through the trees.   
  
"Fine!" Melin snapped back.   
  
"GREAT!" Meowth yowled over his shoulder. Melin grumbled and hopped to another tree in the opposite direction to make Meowth believe that she was leaving. Then, seeing that he wasn't looking, she recalled Growlie into his pokeball and leapt after him. I won't be sent off as easily as that, she thought determinedly.   
  
Meowth tried to capture several other pokemon he later came across that evening, but all of them had managed to escape. Some of them even threw a few of thier attacks at the would-be hunter, leaving him sore all over, until at last he was reduced to attacking a low level Rattata. To add salt to his already wounded pride, that Rattata just looked at him and laughed at him as if he were a joke before running away.   
  
"D-damn it... why..." Meowth made his way to a small stream where he plopped down and took a drink, looking depressed and angry at himself.   
  
Meowth glared at his reflection. "I hate living like this, surviving day by day. Is this how I was meant to spend the rest of my life, to be laughed at by even the lowest rat that wonders by?"   
  
Melin watched him from a nearby tree and felt her heart tighten at his words. Looking about her for something Meowth could hunt, she noticed a large wild Pigeot several yards away from him, searching for food among the tall grass. Smiling with delight, she picked an apricorn from a nearby branch and threw it as hard as she could straight at the Pigeot's bobbing head. WHACK! the Pigeot reeled on it's talons and developed a huge bumb right where it hit.   
  
Meanwhile, Meowth was still moping about his bad luck and tossed a stone into the stream. "If only I had more power," Meowth muttered to himself, "I'd show everyone! I'd make them sorry for laughing at me and my friends. If only..." At that moment he heard a noise in the grass and looked to see a dizzy Pigeot a couple of yards away, eyes swirling and a throbbing red bumb on the top of it's head. The poor pokemon was currently having trouble keeping it's footing and was unaware of his presence.   
  
Meowth raised an eyebrow at the oportunity that had seemingly been laid out on his lap. "A Pigeot. How.. convenient that it seems to have become miraculously disoriented..." he lets the sarcasm drip off his voice as he stood up and approached cautiously, glancing up towards the tree with a suspicious glare.   
  
Nothing satisfies you, Melin thought with a shake of her head and a knowing grin.   
  
Meowth steadied himself to strike again, claws and teeth bared. Sorry, but Team Rocket's gotta eat, he thougth before pouncing with a Slash attack. But unfortunately, the bird pokemon had just managed to spot him in time and leapt into the air, angry at having been attacked.   
  
Meowth looked up, sweating. "Oh great! He looks really pissed off now.." The Pigeot dived to attack the worried pokemon below. "Yipe!" he yelled as he ducked to avoid his Fly atack.   
  
Aw Meowth! That was a perfect oportunity! Melin rolled her eyes at the battle that was now taking place. Good luck with this one. You are on your own now, just like you wanted.   
  
Meowth left himself open long enough to get attacked from behind by the angry pokemon and found himself flying into a tree trunk. Pokemon fell out of the tree and fled as Meowth slid to the ground.   
  
Pigeot moved to attack again and the feline hissed as he stood up. "Gonna.. feel dat in the morning..." He looked up as it dived again. "Oh great! Why didn't I just stay down?!"   
  
This.. might get ugly, Melin thought, watching the situation with interest and slight concern.   
  
I can't fight in this condition, the bruised feline thought bitterly, sulking as he backed away. But the Pigeot ramed into him anyhow, disreguarding his retreat, and knocking him back to the ground. The whimpering pokemon rolled through the grass, his breathing erratic and sweat soaking his bruised body. Melin leaned out once more as she sensed something odd happening to him.   
  
As though nothing ailed him, Meowth stood up. His mind began to cloud over with something stronger than his fear or anger. His sheer will to survive forced him to act, pushing aside all coherant thought. With bloodshot eyes he stared at the bird and let out a disturbing breath. Raising his arms above his body, the battle weary cat pokemon began glowing.   
  
What?! Melin thought with surprise on her face as she felt the change in his mental state as the charge of energy was eluminating his eyes and paws.   
  
The bird dived.   
  
The cat yowled.   
  
And everything went white.   
  
  
"No... No, this plan won't work either..."   
  
Jessie crumbled up the paper she had been writting on and tossed it onto the rapidly growing pile of paper balls next to her.   
  
James looked up from cleaning the counter top of the cooking area. "Why don't we try-"   
  
"No, we've done that already," Jessie mumbled before he could finish his idea.   
  
"Umm... Well, how about-"   
  
"Didn't work last time, did it?" Jessie responded prematurely. James got an odd look on his face and shrugged, going back to finishing his chores.   
  
Who'd have ever thought that trying to steal one measly Pikachu from a ten year old brat would turn out to be so damn hard to do! Jessie thought, beginning to scribble words and phrases that would have made absolutely no sense to anyone who might read them. I remember back when we first started out in Team Rocket. We stole dozens of Pikachu then, along with every other kind of pokemon that came our way. James and me. We stole from everyone we met. It was no time at all before we were promoted from the Grunt divisions into the Black Squadren, and then on to the pestigious White Squadren. We were unstoppable then.   
  
Jessie began to doodle a little pic of herself and James, both smiling and each holding a large bag overflowing with pokeballs. What had happened to us, James? she thought grimly, beginning to add some more description to her doodle, accenting James' eyes and the curve of his lips. We were the best. You and I. For the first time since our first pokemon journey together, we were beginning to feel like winners.   
  
And then the twerp came along, with his yellow rat in tow. Why couldn't he have been scared, like everyone else had been. Hell, he hadn't even heard of Team Rocket before he met us! What kind of ignorant imbecile do you have to be to not know about the greatest criminal organization on Earth?? But no, he had to be a stupidly brave twit too. Defeating us in public and sending us on our losing streak. I'll never forgive him for-....   
  
Jessie stopped when she realized that she had changed the face of her doodle self from happy to twisted hatred. How ugly she looked. Jessie let out a shuddering sigh and placed her forehead in both hands, leaning over the paper in a gesture of defeat. No, she thought. Not the twerp. I'll never forgive ** myself ** for letting him win. If only I was a more competant member of the team, I would have figured out a way to complete this mission by now. If only I was more like... like...   
  
"Jessie?"   
  
Like my mother...   
  
"Jess?"   
  
She would have known what to do... If only...   
  
"Jessica..."   
  
Jessie blinked out her train of thought and looked up into searching emeralds, twinkling in the light of the room. She sucked in a breath and leaned back, surprised to see that James had managed to get so close to her without her noticing, "Y-yes? What do you want?"   
  
"Nothing. I was just wondering what you were thinking about," James replied before looking down at the paper she had been working on. "Oh! You've made a drawing!" James snatched up the scetch from her grasp from she had time to protest.   
  
"Hey, give that back!" Jessie moved to grab the paper away from him but he managed to dodge her efforts with surprising grace, examining her handywork with mirth in his eyes. "I was just scribbling some nonsense while thinking up our next plan to steal the rat. It's nothing!"   
  
"Wow..." James breathed, noticing the amount of detail she had unwittingly given to his drawing. The hair and tone of his skin looked so realistic, it made him blush to think she'd be that detailed when drawing him. The scetch of herself, on the other hand, was hardly better than a ten year olds. Her face looked both angry and miserable. "This is great, Jessie! You're really good."   
  
"Wha..." Jessie gasped, not expecting him to complement something she put so little thought into. "Really?"   
  
"Yeah," he looked up at her with a grin. "But why didn't you put more effort into your drawing, Jess? It's not fair that mine would look so detailed when yours wasn't." He handed the picture back to her. She looked at it, blinking rapidly.   
  
"And you really should be smilling in this picture, you know," he added quietly. "You're always more pretty when you smile..."   
  
Jessie held her breath and looked up with wide eyes only to see James moving quickly to get back to work, as if he were escaping some oncoming ire she neither felt nor had any desire to feel. He didn't just say that out loud, did he? Jessie thought, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks. James... Jessie watched his back and a grin slowly crept onto her face, her confidence shinning through once again.   
  
There's no time to feel sorry for myself! she nodded to herself decidely. That's right! No more thinking about the past. There's nothing but the bright future waiting for us now! Thank you, James, for helping me to remember that..   
  
Yes... A white tomorrow awaits... 

**To be further documented...**  


  



	7. Record 07: Pride

The Hidden Powers Within or Team Rocket Johto 

**The Hidden Powers Within **

**or**

**Team Rocket Johto **  
_by Talisha Hibdon _

_and Tiffany Garcia_

Author note: This is an ongoing fic me and my friend FallenAngelZoey had started a while ago and it's being written slowly but surely. This is an Alternate Universe fanfiction. You have been warned. It takes place in the space of time between the fight with Ash and Gary (which Gary won! ^_^) and when Ash-tachi goes to Johto. The characters are not mine but are Nintendo's and Gamefreak or whatever moron thought Satoshi would be a good hero for the story ¬.¬. Don't sue. All you'll get from us are arcade tokens. As you can tell, me and my friend are huge Team Rocket fans (James is a babe!) so all Ash lovers may wanna rethink reading this. Only Melin and some other original characters that'll show up later belong to us, the authors. Please feel free to review!   
  
P.S. Song lyrics are shown in italics. They do not belong to me but to the artists. Don't sue! 

**Record 07:**

**Pride **

The little figure of tanned fur groaned on the doorstep, barely aware of where he was or of the rather large bundle of feathers that lay next to him. It was late in the evening by then and both of the larger members of the team were growing rather impatient waiting for the feral one to come back with food. The red haired female was grumbling to herself as she chose that particular moment to storm to the wooden door of the equally wooden cabin, looking like she was ready to eat the door itself rather than fling it open to scan the area for the creature in question.  
  
"What could be taking that Meowth so lo-" Jessie began with a snarl but stopped short to see a confused looking cat pokemon with his teeth firmly clamped on the neck of what had to be the biggest Pigeot she had seen in ages.  
  
Meowth dropped his hold on the dead pokemon's neck and spat out some feathers. "How in the world did I end up he-EEER!" Meowth squealed as James seized him in his arms and gave him a huge squeeze.   
  
"Oh Meowth! You did it! You really did it!"   
  
"James! Ack! I can't breath!" Meowth gasped for breath, struggling in vain to escape James' embrace.  
  
Jessie on the other hand was looking at the dead pokemon, trying to pick it up. "Look at this thing! This bird's big enough to feed us for a week!"  
  
James couldn't hear the cat pokemon's protests over his own tears of joy. "We won't starve after all! Thank you GOD!"  
  
"I.. can.. taste.. my... spleen!"  
  
After a moment Team Rocket went on inside, Jessie dragging the pokemon after them. During that whole time they never noticed the pair of dazzling violet eyes peering down at the scene from a high branch.  
  
While walking back into the cabin, both started chattering with Meowth, asking how in the world he had managed to catch such a large pokemon without getting himself killed in the process. It was very unlike the usual fish and small marine pokemon he was used to lugging back to camp. Even James was baffled at how a low level like a Meowth could possibly accomplish such a feat without having to use a big gun. But he could say nothing because Meowth himself was having trouble remembering just how it happened.  
  
  
Melin lounged about on her branch, enjoying her view of the night sky. Every once in a while she would spot a Hoothoot swooping by, hooting as it went and disturbing her train of thought. What had happened that night was as clear and brilliant to her as it was blurred and dim to the feline within the cabin below. She didn't think she'd ever forget what had taken place in that forest glade. Even now the images where flashing through her mind's eye.  
  
  
Pigeot had too much momentum to stop as it headed straight toward Meowth. The cat pokemon leapt high into the air as it pounced on the space where he once was, still holding his paws before him as if he were caressing an invisible ball. A glow began to illuminate the space between his palms, causing a burning sensation on his paw pads as he looked down and shrieked his own name in a hoarse battle cry. He unleashed the Special Hyper Beam while still in midair, catching the bird pokemon off guard in the middle of it's confusion. There is an explosion of white light  
  
Melin watched the scene unfold with surprise plain on her features. She hadn't expected him to revert to that defense mechanism so suddenly. The light became blinding, so much so that she had to throw her arms in front of her eyes to block the painful yet brilliant flash of energy before it could blind her. It was obvious that by unlocking the secret of the unnatural technique from deep inside his psyche, she had unknowingly unleashed a monster.  
  
The light faded in a cloud of smoke and dust, leaving the cat pokemon temporarily suspended in mid air. The feral creature smirked insanely, sharp teeth gleaming in the moonlight and causing him to look like a shark, before passing out and falling lifelessly to the ground next to the dead Pigeot. The ground around them was bare of all grass after the explosion.   
  
Melin had recovered from the blinding flash and saw him laying unconscious on the ground next to his kill, an almost greedy smile curling his lips. She descended from the tree and quietly picked him up in her arms, careful not to disturb him as he was pretty beaten up.  
  
Poor thing, she had thought. I can't let him go on like this. This is all my fault. I got to help him learn to control his power before someone gets hurt. If only he'd let me train him. Everything would be so much easier for him.  
  
Meowth twitched slightly in her grasp as she grabbed the dead Pigeot by it's feet. She then dragged it along the ground with one hand while the cat pokemon slept in the other, tracing his steps back to the cabin. It was she who placed both pokemon on the doorstep, making sure that no one heard her and that the Pigeot's neck was place firmly in Meowth's mouth to show that this was his kill and no one else's. And heaven help any pokemon who tries to take this prize away from the littlest member of Team Rocket.  
  
  
Gary Oak was looking for someone.  
  
This someone had been the only creature since his pokemon journey began who was able to defeat him so utterly. Not even in the Indigo Tournament had he experienced such a lose. His lose to Richie Green was nothing compared to the fear and humiliation he had suffered at the hands of this singular creature.  
  
That pokemon...  
  
Even now, as he sat staring into the licking tongues of his little campfire, he could see the blue glow of its form, lifting its bizarrely shaped three fingers and gesturing the pain it wished to inflict on its opponent. All three of his best pokemon had fallen by the way side as if they were nothing more than seeds scattered along the path, just so that the Murkrows could later swallow them whole. And this pokemon, this **thing** did swallow him whole, along with everything around him, until there was nothing left to feel or see except his own pain and the pokemon's burning eyes.  
  
Burning eyes that haunted him into the depths of his unconsciousness.  
  
Gary shivered and was rewarded with a worried whimper from the Eevee that laid next to him. He shook his head, trying to push away the image his memories had conjured up, and gently stroked his best friend's head. "You should be asleep by now, Eevee. You need your rest after all the battles we've had today."  
  
"Veeeveee," Eevee purred, rubbing his head against Gary's palm. Eevee is a much better companion to have than a measly little Pikachu, Gary thought absently before he realized who he was once **again** beginning to think about. The creature from the Viridian Gym wasn't the only person that had been haunting his dreams.  
  
Just because he managed to go a little further than I did in Indigo, Gary thought, is no excuse to be obsessing about him like this. I can't believe I had actually began **following** him! I'm supposed to be in New Bark Town by now! What would Grandpa say if he knew...  
  
He'd probably give me another lecture about how Ash is more reliable than I am.  
  
Professor Oak had given always Ash all the important assignments. He knew about his errand to the Orange Island to give something to Prof. Ivy, and he even knew about Oak giving Ash the GS ball to give to Elm in Johto. Why didn't he trust me with those errands? he thought, throwing a rock into the bushes. He trusts that boy over his own grandson? Gary should have hated Ash for that, and for a while he even believed he did.  
  
And yet he couldn't resist calling him on his cell that morning, just to hear him, his young, slightly feminine voice growl in anger at his arch rival. He did care. A little bit anyway. That's why he no longer felt the need to boast about his many successes to the younger boy anymore. It was just stupid and immature now when before it had been ego boosting and fun. Why are we rivals anyway? he thought. We are way out of each other's league. He has his style. I have mine. He should stop trying to compare himself to me. I should stop that too. We're two different people. We're not the same at all. Never will be.  
  
"Red..." the boy also known as Blue sighed, remembering the childhood names they had given each other.  
  
Gary looked up at the stars. Why do I even bother thinking about him? We're not friends or anything, at least not since... He frowned, refusing to finish that line of thought, and looked down to noticed that his little Eevee had at last fallen asleep. It looked so peaceful, so happy. Why can't I be like that? Just happy with who I am. Must I always be pushing myself like this?  
  
Was it envy that caused Gary to always tease Ash every chance he got? Because my grandfather likes him? he thought. Because EVERYONE likes him? Little Red. Running about in just his jeans on my front lawn when he was 6, chasing the Eevee litter Grandpa had hatched. Lucky Red. Always able to get himself out of trouble at school. Sensitive Red. Always helping out pokemon when he could, giving no thought for himself. Passionate Red. Always angry at me because I tease him all the time. I can't help that though; he's hilarious when he's angry. I wish he was here...  
  
WHERE THE HELL DID THAT COME FROM!?!  
  
Before Gary could start pounding his own head into the dirt, he heard a noise. It sounded like a grunting in the bushes. He tensed himself, ready to spring to his feet and defend his camp if need called for it. Eevee stirred, having heard the noise too, and leapt to it's feet, growling. Something was close. And coming closer.  
  
All at once a Rhydon came trampling out of the bushes, roaring ferociously. It plowed right through his campfire, stomping it out and plunging them into the darkness of the wood. Gary felt himself get hurled to the side and into a tree trunk where he was sure he could hear a few startled squeaks from the resident pokemon. He could barely see Eevee leaping high into the air and attaching itself onto the back of the Rhydon's head. The Rhydon bucked and snarled, trying to throw the little ball of fluff off him.  
  
That was when he noticed a faint glow emanating from Eevee, cold and indigo blue. Rings of gold appeared, glowing on it's darkening fur. It eyes turned red. Within a second it vanished from sight and even sooner did he notice the Rhydon getting knocked from side to side by an invisible force. Soon the beast howled as it fled, trying to escape the unseen attacker.  
  
Gary felt around for his flashlight, never taking his eyes of the rings of gold that shimmered off it's fur once they had reappeared. After finally finding it and switching it on, he saw that his camp was in ruins. His tent had been torn in half and his things were skewn about like marbles. The only delight in the situation he felt was when he shone his light on what had once been his Eevee.  
  
"Umbreon!" the newly evolved pokemon cried, wagging it's tail, happy to see his master safe and sound.  
  
"Umbreon?" Gary looked up his new pokemon's information on his pokedex. "Evolves from Eevee if it reaches it's Happiness Quota during the evening..." Happiness, huh? Umbreon trotted up to him and rubbed against his legs, purring happily. Well I guess this is something you've finally taught _me_. No more standing in the shadows of others. When I can be happy with who I am, I can then become something greater.  
  
"Good job, Eev- I mean Umbreon-chan," Gary lifted the dark pokemon in his arms and gave him a hug, showing him the softer side of himself, the side no one had ever seen before. His eyes pulled up to the faint glow of the full moon as it sat lonely in the night sky, the stars offering no comfort to it.   
  
But there would be no happiness for Gary "Blue" Oak. No peace. Not yet.   
  
"Why am I here?"  
  
The troubling last words of the strange pokemon he had met in the Viridian Gym floated back to him. He had heard it echoing in his mind just before he had lost consciousness. The tone of the pokemon's mental voice was solemn, puzzled, even a little sad. Gary himself had recently been asking that same question of himself.  
  
No. No peace for him. Not now. Not until the question was answered, for both of them.  
  
  
Later that evening, Meowth was sitting on the roof of the cabin, tummy full and happy and playing a few cords on his guitar. Unknown to him, or at least so she thought, was Melin, nibbling on some berries up in her tree branch and listening to the tunes he played. He was playing "Perfect" by Alanis Morissette at the moment...  
  
_Sometimes it's never quite enough,   
If you're flawless, then you'll win my love.   
Don't forget to win first place,  
Don't forget to keep that smile on your face..._  
  
He stopped after a moment, a pondering look on his face, before he decided to call out, "I know you're there, Meme, or Lili or whatever your name is! Come out so I can see you."  
  
"Hum?" Melin blinked. She could have sworn that she had kept herself well hidden from the cat pokemon but obviously she had been mistaken. Shrugging to herself, she hopped down two more branches before dropping to the ground.  
  
_Be a good boy,  
Try a little harder,   
You gotta measure up,  
And make me prouder._  
  
Before Meowth had finished the stanza, Melin was already on the roof sitting next to him. He glanced at her, studying her out of the corner of his blue feline eyes. She gazed back, becoming drawn into the emotion he invoked with the song lyrics.  
  
_How long?  
Before you screw it up?  
And how many times do I have to tell you,   
To hurry up? _  
  
He stilled the strings on his guitar suddenly, causing the girl in white to snap out of her trance. Meowth turned to face her completely, feet still hanging over the side of the roof   
  
She smiled.  
  
He frowned.  
  
"I know what you did out there today, helping me out by confusing that Pigeot."  
  
"Me? Why would you think that?" Melin's small smile turned into a mischievous grin. She was in a playful mood and had decided to play innocent.  
  
"I'm too big of a screw up for that to have been all me," Meowth responded curtly, looking uncomfortable and a little annoyed at her. "So I guess..." he strummed a few cords, trying to push off of his lips the words of gratitude he knew he should say, "I just wanted to say to you..."  
  
"Yeah?" the pale girl asked.  
  
"... Butt out," he suddenly bit out, looking a little red in the face. He turned away swiftly and began to sing again, trying to ignoring her...  
  
_With everything I do for you,  
The least you can do is keep quiet.  
  
Be a good boy,  
You gotta try a little harder!   
That simply wasn't good enough,   
To make us proud.  
_  
Melin raised a white eyebrow and muttered an "mmm hm" before she moved to get up and leave. The pokemon noticed this and, acting against his better judgment, called over his shoulder to her, hoping with knowing why that she'd stop to listen.   
  
"You know!..." The white haired girl halted hearing him. "That's what my life has been like." He struck a few more random cords. "Everyone expecting me to be perfect..."  
  
Melin turned her head, eyeing him with her back still to her. "Really."  
  
Meowth looked up at the moon. "A lotta people, all wantin me to do something for them; and I try, I really do. I try to be everything they want, but it's never good enough "to make them proud." He ran his nail over the strings in descending order and looked back at her grinning, if not a little sadly. "Don't run away yet. Let me finish what I have to say at least."  
  
The albino female considered him for a moment, then sat back down.  
  
Meowth considered his words carefully for a moment before he continued, "It kinda hurts my pride.. getting help from someone like you." He sung some more of the melancholy tune.  
  
_I'll live through you, I'll make you what I never was,   
If you're the best, then maybe so am I.   
Compared to him, compared to her.  
I'm doing this for your own damn good,  
You'll make up for what I blew.   
What's the problem now?   
Why are you crying?_  
  
She looked down at her lap, understanding showing on her face, all playfulness disappearing. "Oh, I see."  
  
Silence was loud between them until the feline spoke again. "After trying to do it myself for so long - become a better battler or whatever - it's really hard to admit I may need.. help."  
  
_Be a good boy...   
Push a little further now...   
That wasn't fast enough..   
To make us.. happy.._  
  
"I'm sorry," Melin's voice had a sad tone to it.  
  
_We'll love you..   
Just the way you are..   
If you're perfect..._  
  
Meowth ended the song and shook his head, "Naw, don't be. Besides I.. didn't really mean to say "Butt out" back there. I.. meant to say..."  
  
"Yes?" she became more cheerful at was she knew he'd say next.  
  
"Oh poop! You're psychic, aren't you?!" He folded his arms over his chest and guitar and puffed like a Jigglypuff. "You should know what I meant to say!" He looked away flustered.  
  
"Tell me anyway," the white lady giggled at his behavior. "I want to hear it from you."  
  
He growled. "T-t.... T'a....T'aaa...t'anks....................... Baka."  
  
She smiled. "You're welcome."   
  
"Grrrr.... Also!-" Meowth leapt to his feet and looked at her eye to eye, "Y-you may train me, if you wish."  
  
The white lady's eyes went wide and blinked rapidly, "Really!?"  
  
"B-but, let's get some things straight!" He held up a paw, "First off, I don't now nor have I ever needed your help, got dat? I can take care of myself just fine. I'm only letting you train me because I need to be able to keep on eye on what you are doing to Team Rocket's pokemon."  
  
"Gotcha," she replied while giving him a small salute.  
  
"Second, no messing around with my head like you did on that day with Pikachu. Got it?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"Fine." Meowth nodded firmly and stuck out his paw towards her. She took it in her hand and shook it. Done deal. He withdrew his paw and sat back down and started playing some random cords again.  
  
"Oi," he began. "I should tell Jessie and James about you..."  
  
Melin's violet eyes widened and she even managed to turn a shade lighter than normal, "N..No that's really not necessary, heh heh!"  
  
Meowth studied her out of the corner of his eye as he absently began playing the music to "You Were Meant for Me" by Jewel. "Why don't you want them to know?"  
  
"No reason," she said quickly, beginning to sweat and fidget at the idea of meeting James face to face so soon. "I just want to introduce myself properly... when I feel the time is right."  
  
"Yeah but when will that be? Why all the secretiveness? You know, you're asking me to trust you, but you aren't trusting me either.."  
  
"I have my reasons," she pouted, gazing at him getting a little annoyed with all the questions about her methods. "Do you want me to train you or not?"  
  
"Sure, sure," came Meowth's response before he sang a single lyric from the song, only because the round moon was high above them already and looking at it always reminded him of his first love.  
  
_Dreams last so long,   
Even after you're gone_  
  
Melin grinned and picked up the limerick where he stopped and sang the rest of the verse along with the guitar, stunning the cat pokemon because her voice was surprisingly sweet.  
  
_I know that you love me   
And soon you will see,   
You were meant for me,   
And I was meant for you.  
_  
Meowth immediately ceased playing, displeased with the memories the song was evoking in his mind. He had once sung those very same words to the beautiful Meowth with the shining charm when he had serenaded her in his youth. She hadn't cared for his singing, but he had never stopped letting the music in his heart come out through his guitar and his voice. Apparently this human also appreciated the musical arts and that was something.  
  
"Nice voice," he murmured, flashing her a grin that covered the hurt he felt because of his past. "I can admire a human who can sing." He got up to his feet and hopped down onto the ground. "Time for bed. Gotta get up early tomorrow. How about we train in the evening? After Jess and Jim are asleep."  
  
"Sure," Melin replied as she jumped down after him, unafraid of the height from roof to ground. "Be sure to bring your friends too."  
  
"No problem," the pokemon waved slightly before going inside the cabin and closing the door on her and the rest of the world, hopefully leaving himself alone to his thoughts. The girl's white hair shimmered in the moonlight before disappearing with her into the trees, and no human or pokemon took notice of her retreat. All that could be heard was her soft, airy laughter on the summer wind, difting off like a mist into the night.  


**To be further documented...**  



	8. Record 08: Skill

The Hidden Powers Within or Team Rocket Johto 

**The Hidden Powers Within **

**or**

**Team Rocket Johto **  
_by Talisha Hibdon _

_and Tiffany Garcia_

Author note: This is an ongoing fic me and my friend FallenAngelZoey had started a while ago and it's being written slowly but surely. This is an Alternate Universe fanfiction. You have been warned. It takes place in the space of time between the fight with Ash and Gary (which Gary won! ^_^) and when Ash-tachi goes to Johto. The characters are not mine but are Nintendo's and Gamefreak or whatever moron thought Satoshi would be a good hero for the story ¬.¬. Don't sue. All you'll get from us are arcade tokens. As you can tell, me and my friend are huge Team Rocket fans (James is a babe!) so all Ash lovers may wanna rethink reading this. Only Melin and some other original characters that'll show up later belong to us, the authors. Please feel free to review!   
  
P.S. Sorry this took so long to update. I've been really syked about the Lord of the Rings coming out and it's kind of taken away from writing on our pokemon fic. ISN'T IT THE COOLEST MOVIE EVER?!?! *blush* Ahem... Anyway, the pokemon language is shown in * marks while regular speech is shown in the usual " marks. Thanks for your patience! 

**Record 08:**

**Skill **

"Oi, James. Dat was some good grub!"   
  
It was getting late the next evening and we find our trio of so called "villains" sitting around the table of the cabin. Meowth had just finished his food and sighed happily.   
  
"Meowth's right," Jessie poped another delicious bite of homecooking between her red lips. "You're a great cook!" James blushed a little and grew a big grin.   
  
"Thanks Jess..."   
  
"And I'M a great hunter!" Meowth gloated and stood up, putting a paw to his ear, "Now let's here it. Once more."   
  
Jessie rolled her eyes but James looked undaunted as they recited in union for the hundredth time in 24 hours, "Thank you, Meowth, for the great tasting Pigeot you caught for us to eat."   
  
Meowth smiled. "T'ank you," he bowed elegantly, "T'ank you very much."   
  
"I'd still like to know how you pulled it off..." Jessie muttered, finishing her plate.   
  
"Sorry! Dat's a trade secret," Meowth stuck his invisable nose into the air and crossed his arms.   
  
James pulled out their sleeping bags and started to getting things ready for bed. "Well I have no complaints. Keep doing whatever you're doing and bring on the meat!"   
  
"Uh-uh, Jimmy! Next time you can catch your own dinner! I ain't your servant! You ate the most of that bird anyway!"   
  
"What's the matter?" Jessie teased, hopping behind a changing screen . "The Mighty Hunter Meowth doesn't think he can catch anymore big game? Shall he only be able to catch rattata from now on?"   
  
"You ain't got clue! My abilities are beyond your simple mind's copasity to understand!"   
  
"Careful, furball, you ego's dripping all over our nice wooden floor!"   
  
"Well at least I have something to be egotisical about!"   
  
"What's amazing is that your swelled head can hold such a puny brain!"   
  
"MEOWTH!"   
  
"RRAAAAARRR!!"   
  
"SHUT UP!!"   
  
Jessie came out from behind the changing screen in her pj's and with Meowth gaped at the jammie clad James, who glared at both of them while holding a pillow under his arm. "Sleep time! You quiet now!" With a frusterated grunt he flopped onto his sleeping bag and pulled it over him, ignoring the incredulous looks from his team mates. They weren't used to hearing such outbursts from the blue haired man.   
  
Meowth suddenly remembered about Melin as Jessie crawled into her sleeping bag, pink jammies and all. "Ok, you two," she began as she turned onto her stomach, "Yestureday we crossed the borders of Kanto into Johto. Tomorrow we should be receiving our new assignment from the Boss."   
  
"Right," James nodded the afirmative. "Johto is the start of new beginning for Team Rocket!"   
  
Jessie turned on her side and stuck out her arm and raised it high. "For power!"   
  
Meowth struck up his paw. "For glory!"   
  
"For food!"   
  
Meowth and Jessie looked at James and turned their backs to him to fain sleep.   
  
"What?" James blinked, "A man's gotta eat!"   
  
Soon the two humans were fast asleep. The moon was already rising high in the summer sky and a warm breeze blew in from the slightly opened window. Meowth peeked out of one eye to make sure all was well before getting up and sneaking their pokeballs out of their bags. He checked the slumbering couple again before dashing out the door into the forest.   
  
Onward he pulnged deep into the trees, trying hard to ignore the gleams of eyes in the darkness of the branches above and the bushes on either side. This wood wasn't at all a pleasent place to get lost in after dark. Unknown creatures seemed to delight in staring at you until your fur was standing on end and your whiskers twitched uneasily, just as Meowth's fur and whiskers were then doing. A couple times he even managed to stumble over the occasional protruding root, narled and thick, and the cat pokemon began to wonder if the trees themselves were not shifting their roots just to trip him up and make him loose his way.   
  
All at once a howl echoed across the forest, causing a chill to run up Meowth's spin. An answering howl came a second later and much closer this time. It was too close for Meowth's liking and he started to run about like a blind mouse, clutching the pokeballs to his chest. "I knew I shouldn'ta listened to that crazy albino lady. I'm gonna die out here because I was stupid enough to trust her!"   
  
Now it's a pretty well known fact that if you are in a very thick wood and you begin to panic and run about without giving heed to where you are going, you are bound to get lost. That was Meowth's destiny. He tried to find any sign of a path that might lead him back to the main road, becuase at least then he'd be able to find his way back to the cabin. But he found neither path nor road nor cabin. Only more trees and eyes shining in the dark. And there was definetely no sign of Melin.   
  
"Damn, where the heck is she?" Meowth hissed under his breath after searching in vain for a sign of firelight or a glimpse of white hair. The moon had climbed higher in the sky, from what he could see of it through the roof of the wood, and he wondered how much time had passed from when he had left his warm little bed in the Team Rocket hidout cabin. Suddenly his foot caught on another root and this time he did fall, flat on his furry face, the pokeballs of Team Rocket scattering and rolling away like marbles.   
  
"Grrrr," he spat as he gathered them back up into his arms. "She could have at least told me where she was planing on training us! Stupid women."   
  
"Who's stupid?" came a soft whisper near his ear, the warm breath tickling the wisps of downy fur in them. Meowth shreiked, flinging all the pokeballs into the air in his shock and causing many of the gleaming eyes to dissapear in fright of the sudden outburst. Whirling around and clutching his heart he beheld Melin, smiling wickedly, hands folded behind her back and eyes twinkling merrily.   
  
He gaped at the women as she explained, "I was worried when you were late for your training, so I came to look for you."   
  
At last Meowth found his voice again. "Geez, lady! Do you want to train me or scare me to death?!" His hair was still standing up stiffly on his back.   
  
Melin giggled. "I've found a large open space where everyone will have plenty of room for training. Growlie is waiting for us there." Without making the slightest sound on the ground, she walked past him and out among the trees. Meowth gathered the pokeballs and followed with a grumble. They walked in akward silence for a moment before Melin spoke again. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you where to find me. I had forgotten how eaily a body could get lost in this place. I guess it was pretty stupid of me."   
  
"You're damn right!" Meowth slashed through some bushes and stumbled into a clearing. There was her little campfire, Growlie curled up next to it and borrowing it's warmth. The feline greeted him and tossed the balls to the ground as he too flopped down next to the dog pokemon, glad for the comfort of it's warm light and even more glad to be away from the gleaming eyes of the wood. The pokeballs wiggled as they fell and Arbok, Weezing, Lickitung and Victreebell popped out.   
  
*What's going on?* Weezing bobbed up and down in the air, looking curiously about them at their surroundings.   
  
"Oh SURE! You come out NOW after the spooky part is over!" Meowth sniffed, supremely annoyed at his fortune.   
  
*And I was sleeping so well...* Victreebell yawned. *I was dreaming about that ridiculous song Master was singing earlier. "The cow jumped over the moon" indeed!*   
  
*Hey, it's you again,* Arbok noticed the girl.   
  
*So are we here to train or what?* Lickitung demanded. Melin smirked.   
  
"Well, yes we are," she started. "We need to work on bringing your attack up as well as your speed too. But first things first. I should like to know what are the skills you already know, and the best way to see that is to have a battle."   
  
*Battle? Now?* Weezing asked, not really feeling like battling.   
  
Meowth spoke as Victreebel opened his mouth wide in a yawn. "Well? Who's fightin' first then?"   
  
"Ummm..." Her eyes fell on Victreebel. "Victreebel why don't you go first."   
  
Victreebel stopped mid yawn and got a sweatdrop while Lickitung snickered at his expression. *Err...*   
  
"Well?" the white hair female questioned his hesitation.   
  
Victreebel was annoyed already at having his enjoyable dream interupted for training, and being chosen to fight first only succeeded in increasing his annoyance further. He hopped over to her and stared into her violet eyes. *So will I be attacking you then? Hmm? Human?* he replied suddenly looking hungry for human.   
  
Melin looked unabashed and didn't break her gaze from Vic's as she detached without looking a violet and white pokeball which seemed to shine with the fire light . "Bronx GO!" she called, tossing it into the air. The pokeball opened and suddenly the blue stone canine stood between her and the plant pokemon, facing his opponant with a steady eye. The moonlight shone off the pokemon's back.   
  
Victreebel blinked at the dog pokemon and took notice of it's huge stone paws with long claws bared. *What is that?* All the other pokemon looked at the strange creature with suspicion and wide eyes as it shook it's body, the large spikes of rock around his neck clicking against each other and a rumble from his chest causing the ground beneath him to tremble slightly.   
  
Growlie spoke up at length. *It's one of my - er, I mean of the Growlithe and Arcanine's ancestors. They were supposed to be extinct millions of years ago.*   
  
Meowth got a sweatdrop. "Great... more prehistoric pokemon...."   
  
*And I thought we had left these kinds behind when we escaped all those Kabutops and Omnistars.* Weezing sighed.   
  
Victreebel was still staring, deep in thought when suddenly he realized something. *Wait a minute! If that's an ancestor of the Growlithes and Arcanines, doesn't that mean that this thing is a fire type? You can't expect me to fight a fire type!*   
  
Melin got a little evil grin. "Bronx, use agility followed by a tackle attack now!" The well trained pokemon dog leapt into immediate action and rushed forward at a surprising speed, aiming to take the plant pokemon down as speedily as possible for his mistress. Victreebel squealed as he rushed to dodge using TM Double Team James had taught him only a few weeks ago.   
  
"Good! Now this battle is underway. Use any attacks you like and try to take my pokemon down, before he takes you down first," the trainer continued to smirk. This was going to be good.   
  
Victreebel started using Growth in the meantime, but still looked too frightened to attack a fire type yet. *Y-you stay away, you dumb mutt!*   
  
"You have to be ready for any type of pokemon. You never know what pokemon the opponent will pull out," she called to the grass pokemon. "Bronx, ember now!"   
  
"Rrreeeeee!!!!!" he screamed in fright, trying to avoid the embers that flew at him and unconsciously unleashing a stun spore.   
  
Bronx shook off the attack, appearing to be uneffected by the grass attack, and paused for a second. "Bronx Defense Curl!" came the command and the result was Bronx curling up into a tight blue ball of rock, spikes sticking out in differant parts. Victreebel used Growth again before unleashing a cloud of poison powder at the pokemon. It fell on the boulder and Bronx coughed, uncurling as the could of powder came toward him.   
  
"Tackle now!" Melin shouted and the dog pokemon leapt to it's feet and rammed into a startled Victreebell, knocking him to the ground was a cry, but then it fell to it's knees and coughed. The poison was beginning to take effect.   
  
Victreebel blinked at it as he slowly picked himself up from the dirt. *Um.. it worked?* When he realzed it was indeed working, he started laughing arrogantly and with some relief.   
  
"Don't get cocky now! This battle is far from over," Melin smirked before reaching into a pounch that hung from her side and withdrawing a berry. "Bronx, catch!" She tossed it towards it and it leapt up to snatch it from mid air in it's mouth. After eating it quickly, it's state improved conciderabley and it no longer coughed. This was because the berry she had given him was a poisoncure berry, of course, and it cured him almost immediately.   
  
Victreebel stopped mid laugh, mouth still wide open.   
  
"Now Flamethrower!!"   
  
*No fair!* he shrieked and cringed away from the flames.   
  
"You have to be ready for anything," the pale trainer repeated with a knowing grin. Then all of a sudden, as if he was at least taking her advice, Victreebel was gone, leaving only a little doll behind.   
  
"Chaaaaaa..."Arbok choked out as Lickitung gulped.   
  
*Looks like he left a substitute...* the pink pokemon murmered.   
  
*Never saw him do that before...* Weezing responded.   
  
Interesting TM's James has chosen to give his pokemon, Melin thought. She watched as Bronx moved in to attack with some embers, but his attack bounced off the doll harmlessly. On top of that, a sudden downfall of a black, thick substance fell from out of nowhere and covered the stone dog from head to foot in a Toxic liquid. The pokemon reeled on it's heels, feeling the poison of the attack nawing into him once again.   
  
He's doing a lot better than I thought, but I can do better still. "This is getting old, Vic! I got a million more poisoncure-" When Melin reached into her pocket for another berry, her face went blank. "Heh heh, ran out of poisoncure berries..." she laughed akwardly. All the remaining pokemon fell to the ground on their faces. "I knew I should have bought some more at the last town," she itched her head.   
  
Arbok was the first to recover. *Oi! You can't use more than one item during a match! That's not fair!*   
  
Melin turned her attention back to the fight as all rest of the pokemon reseated themselves. "Fine," she huffed, feeling slightly miffed. "I don't need any berries. Earthquake NOW!" Bronx lifted himself up on his hind leg and stomped on the ground with both paws. HARD. The ground quaked, the trees trembled, and the air shook as the earth cracked like a pie crust. The substitute was demolished into the depths of the earth and Victreebel instantly reappeared again.   
  
*Uuhhhh... heh heh!* He waved a little. *Hi?* In an instant he was frantically whipping out his vines in mad vine whip. Bronx simply dodged them, managing to ignoring the burning of the poison in it's veins.   
  
Melin's eyes sparked. Victory was within reach. "Now to end this! Magma hurl!"   
  
Victreebel squealed and prepared to endure Bronx's final strike. *WAAAH! I'M GONNA DIE!*   
  


**To be further documented...**  



End file.
